Trying to Fly Like an Owl
by Small Owl
Summary: Hogwarts years from Hermione's and Severus' point of view. When Hermione gets her letter from Hogwarts she thinks it's just a bad joke. But then she meets her future Potions professor and starts the greatest adventure of her life without realizing it...
1. Chapter 1

Disclaimer: Most of the characters as well as some of the quotations belong to JKR (one of the greatest magicians in the world), I'm just playing with them and promise to take them back to the Harry Potter universe unharmed.

**Trying to Fly Like an Owl**

**Chapter 1**

**Witchcraft and Owls**

Hermione was hiding on the tree thinking about her previous lesson. Why did everything go wrong again?

*** Flashback ***

"Before we start today's class I'd like someone to tell me what we read in the first chapter of the Crucible during last week." said Miss Powel smiling brightly at the class. "Well, TJ?"

Hermione's hand shot in the air.

"I don't remember" said TJ staring blankly at their English teacher.

"_What a surprise_" thought Hermione. She couldn't understand how her classmates were passing. They were just so so so stupid. She started to go through the summary of the first chapter in her head "_Reverend Parris is kneeling on the floor praying next to Betty's bed. Tituba, Parris' slave, comes in and asks if Betty is going to be all right. Parris hurries her out of the room. Parris' seventeen-year-old niece, Abigail comes in. She says that Susanna Walcott is here with news from the doctor. Susanna enters and says that the doctor can be of no help. Parris tells her that he sent for Reverend Hale of Beverly. Susanna leaves and Abigail has a long talk with her uncle. He tries to make Abigail admit that she and the other girls were performing witchcraft __in the woods__. Parris says that when he caught them dancing in the woods_…

"But I think Owl Girl knows the answer, why don't you try her?" added TJ sneering at Hermione.

Hermione blushed. Her classmates called her names since the first day she started school. She was Straight A Girl, Miss Perfect, Know-It-All and lately Owl Girl.

"Who?" asked Miss Powel, looking down at her seating chart confused.

The class was trying to hide their laughter while Hermione was blushing even deeper and dropping her hand. For the rest of the lesson she sat quietly and she hurried out when the lunch break bell rang but not fast enough. She could here the class laughing loudly once the teacher left the classroom.

"Owl Girl is the real witch not the characters in the book." yelled TJ after her nastily.

She ran out through the closest door of the building though they weren't supposed to leave the school and climbed up to her favorite old tree as the first tears arrived.

*** End Flashback ***

Finally her tears stopped and she felt only anger. Who were they to talk of her like that? They should be ashamed of themselves.

"_Stupid, lazy gits!" _she thought. At that moment the leaves of the tree moved, though there was no wind at all. An owl flew through the leaves and landed on a small branch in front of her. She just wanted to scream. She was patient but that was more than what she could stand. She was going home and she was never going back to school. It was useless. She knew more than any of her classmates. She could be a private student and learn everything from books.

She jumped down from the tree not paying attention to the fact that she was 5 meters high from the ground, landed gracefully on her feet and started to run home. She didn't see the owl following her.

Later when she was sitting at dinner with her family her mum gave her a letter.

"Look, Hermione! You've got a letter. I wonder why it didn't arrive with the other post this morning."

She took it without looking at her mum. She was still angry. Her parents didn't want to hear about her being a private student.

It was a yellowish envelope addressed in emerald green to Miss H. Granger, Dining-room, 245 Southgate Ave Crawley West Sussex United Kingdom.

She was surprised. Noone ever wrote her letters since her grandma died half a year ago. She opened the envelope and read excitedly.

"_HOGWARTS SCHOOL of WITCHCRAFT and WIZARDRY Headmaster: ALBUS DUMBLEDORE (Order of Merlin, First Class, Grand Sorc., Chf. Warlock, Supreme Mugwump, International Confed. of Wizards)_

_Dear Miss Granger,_

_we are pleased to inform you that you have been accepted at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Please find enclosed a list of all necessary books and equipment_

_Term begins on September 1__. Since your parents are Muggles (non-magicians) a staff member will contact you on the 30 July for further explanation. Please owl us if you are not free on the given date._

_Yours sincerely, Minerva McGonagall, Deputy Headmistress__"_

The words _witchcraft_ and _owl _made Hermione even angrier than she already was. She was not going back for sure. That was more than enough.

She tore the letter into little pieces and ran up to her room and shut the door. She went to bed hiding under her blanket waiting for her parents to rush into her room. She just wanted to be left alone. She just wanted to lock the world out for a few minutes or hours or forever. She was sure that she only has seconds till her parents start banging on her door, but all was quiet and after a long time she fall into an uneasy sleep.

"Helen, I can't open the door!" yelled Robert panicked. His daughter was acting strange all day since she arrived from school. Her idea about being a private student was shocking. Where did that come from? And now this. She gets a letter and runs up to her room, locking them out. Something was seriously wrong. He just couldn't understand it.

"Robert, come down." he heard her wife's voice but it sounded so strange. He gave up trying to open his daughter's door for the moment and ran down to his wife.

She was standing next to the table staring at small pieces of paper.

"Ah, the letter." He realized suddenly "What does it say?"

"It's so unbelievable but it all makes sense." Helen said still in that strange voice "Hermione is a witch."

"A what?" he spat angrily "Don't you dare…"

"No, Robert, look at this! I'm serious. Do you remember when Hermione didn't like her new pink T-shirts, and the next day they were all blue. She never admitted painting them. Or when she was 5 and fall out through the window on the second floor, she didn't even have a scratch, or the fact that she could read at the age of three. Robert, it all makes perfect sense now! Our Hermione is a witch."

After Robert read through the letter he came to the same conclusion. There were too many incidents around Hermione without an explanation now that he started to think about it.

"You know, we should clean the house a bit. We are expecting a visitor after all." he said.

"Who is coming?" Asked Helen surprised.

"One of Hermione's future professors probably, after all tomorrow is the 30 July."


	2. Chapter 2

Disclaimer: I'm still not JKR (I wish I were). And I make no money from the story. (But if you like it we welcome any help at StMungo's. Of course not only money, volunteers too. We'd especially **need a good beta**, if anyone is interested **please leave a review** and we'll contact you. Thanks!)

Thank you to everyone, who put the story on alert or added it to favorite stories. It really made me happy to see that people like the story. Special thanks to **Burnedx2** for the review.

**I really welcome reviews!** So please let me know if I'm going in the right direction with the story. I accept criticism so please let me know if you don't like something too I'll probably not go back and change it, but remember it for future stories... And finally to the story!

**Chapter 2**

**A stranger and reparo**

When Hermione woke up the next day it was still quite dark. She glanced at the clock and it showed 5 am. She wanted to go back to sleep, but her tummy's rumbling reminded her of last night's dinner.

"_Well, that went just perfect. I really messed up this time_" she thought while getting out of bed. She got dressed picking out her used-to-be-pink but now blue T-shirt with smiley faces on it. She remembered how she got those ugly pink T-shirts from her parents and the next day they just turned into blue. It was nearly like magic. Except for the fact that magic didn't exist. Everything had to have a logic explanation. After all people used to think that Earth was flat. It took great scientists to make people understand the world's secrets. Of course there was still a lot to discover. One day she is going to be among those great scientists. Some day she is going to solve some of the world's secrets. After all she was a smart girl. Her parents always told her that. The two people in the world who really trusted her, she already felt guilty about running away from dinner the day before. Which reminded her of her hunger yet again.

She opened her door quietly and sneaked down the stairs. The table was cleaned except for some paper pieces.

"_That stupid letter! I am not going back to school."_

She made a cheese sandwich with lots of tomato and cucumber on the side of the plate. No sooner had she sat down than someone knocked on the door. She moved to open it but then she realized how early it was and stopped scared.

"_Who could it be at 5 am? There could be a fire in the neighborhood. Maybe someone needs help_." She moved again towards the door, but before she could open it the lock clicked open.

"_No they are robbers_." She froze. "_I should run to my parents. I should run... run… run…"_ but her legs wouldn't move.

The door slowly opened. A man was standing there. He was tall and thin, wearing black pants and a black shirt, his pale face was surrounded with a curtain of long black hair. Suddenly adrenalin rushed through Hermione and she started to back away to the back door.

"_Great, he looks like as if he had just stepped out from a horror movie."_ mumbled Hermione not without sarcasm.

"Sure, and he has extraordinary hearing too" said the dark man. "And if you should be thinking about escaping through the back door, I'm going to stop you."

"_That's a fair warning_" he thought. He really hated to be there. It wasn't his problem to contact the muggle borns and their parents. If someone was muggle born they wouldn't get to his house anyway. He no longer believed that it made a difference. He learnt from his biggest mistake. _"Concentrate on what's your job, Snape, the sooner you explain everything the sooner you get out of here"_

"Miss Granger, you got your letter in the previous few days from Hogwarts if I'm not mistaken. I'm sure that you have a lot of questions. I have to warn you now I don't have the time to answer all of them. So try to ask the most important ones." he said slowly the way he talked to his dunderhead Slytherin students.

Hermione stared at the strange man. "_Yeah, sure I have a lot of questions_" she thought _"Most important ones… let's see… who the hell are you? What are you doing in my house at 5:10? And what letter are you talking about?"_

"I think you are mistaken. I didn't get any letter. Actually I have no idea who you are and I think it would be time for you to leave." she said trying to sound braver than she felt.

"Really?" asked the man "I'll answer your questions then. My name is Severus Snape. I am your Potions professor from Hogwarts so you'll address me with Professor or Sir, understood? You should already know why I am here. And the letter I'm talking about is on the kitchen table if I'm not mistaken. Maybe we should continue this conversation in there. I can see that it's going to take longer to explain everything than I wanted it to.

Hermione just stared as the dark man "_Did he say he was called Sev… what?"_ walked to the kitchen as if he was at home but not having a better idea she followed him. Strangely all her fear from earlier was gone.

"I see you didn't really take the time to read the letter" said Snape sneering. Then he pulled out a wooden stick from his pocket and pointed it at the pieces of paper on the table.

Suddenly both fear and that safe feeling were absolutely gone. Their place was filled with boiling anger.

"How dare you!" she yelled "How dare you make fun of me! I bet you are the brother of TJ or any of those other idiots. You should be ashamed of yourself!"

Snape felt a moment's confusion. Was this a mistake? But of course not, he could feel the girl's magic right now, it was unusually strong actually. _"I just have to be patient and sort this out. Sure, because I'm famous for my _patience. _Well, long explanations wouldn't work at the moment, let's see…"_

"Reparo" he said and made the circling wand movement the way he learnt it in first year a long time ago.

Hermione wanted to continue yelling but she couldn't. She didn't want to believe her eyes. The letter was in one piece.

She walked slowly to the table and picked it up. She started to read it again this time actually paying attention. The letter seemed to be so official. There was no chance that her stupid classmates wrote that.

"I'm really a witch." She said after a minute of silence not knowing if she should be happy about it or not.

"Yes you are." affirmed Snape "And if you'd like to you're going to be a student in Hogwarts from September."

"What if I wouldn't like to?" asked Hermione

"Then you'll stay in a muggle school and waste your talent. Of course you have the right to choose so, but I'm sure you would regret it."

"So my parents are muggles, right? How came I'm a witch?" she asked.

"There is no telling. There are some famous wizarding families, but there are a lot of half-bloods and muggle borns too."

"Does it make a difference, being a muggle born?"

"Not at all" Snape replied quickly.

"_It really didn't. Lily was a muggle born yet she was perfect while I am a half-blood and managed to ruin everything. If only I had never thought, that heritage made a difference. That's enough. Get back to the point Snape or you'll never get out of here"_ he thought.

"Any other questions Miss Granger?" he asked as the girl was reading the list of books and equipment.

"Yes, professor, where can I get all these things?"

"At Knockturn alley. It's in London…" he went quiet as he heard footsteps coming from upstairs. "I think we owe an explanation to your parents."

"Hermione are you down there?"

"Yes, mum. We've got a visitor. Could you and dad please come down?"

"Oh, my god! I had no idea they would arrive so early. Robert, hurry up!"

"Were you expecting guests?" Snape asked surprised.

"Not that I know of" said Hermione.

Less than an hour later Snape was walking in Hogsmade. The conversation with Miss Granger's parents went better than he expected. Both parents accepted that their daughter was a witch quite easily. They even agreed to accompany Hermione on her first trip to Knockturn alley. He was absolutely pleased with this turn of events. If the muggle parents had decided that they don't want to go to magic stores it would have been his job to accompany the girl. He gave her her Gringotts key and also explained some basic rules about how once she goes to Hogwarts she is not allowed to use magic in the muggle world. She had asked if she could use it before she went to the school and he said yes. He was sure that the young witch wouldn't be able to do any spells by herself. It took a good professor and a lot of practice to learn the first few spells.

He stopped before the Three Broomsticks and sighed. The girl was none of his business. She was a muggle born so she wouldn't be in his house. She'll probably be in Rawenclaw; after all she seemed to be pretty smart once she understood that she was a witch. So she is going to be in Rawenclaw, he felt a bit of sadness. She was so much like Lily. Maybe that's why Dumbledore wanted him to come. It still didn't matter of course. He had nothing to do with the girl. He'll have her in his classes and that's about it. He'll just forget about her.

He didn't realize how wrong he was.

**To be continued…**


	3. Chapter 3

Disclaimer: I solemnly swear that once I finish this story I'm going to put back the Marauder's Map and all the characters who ever appeared on it to the Harry Potter Universe which absolutely belongs to JKR!

Thanks for the reviews to **Burnedx2, Le Bijou** and **heartmom88**!

**Please leave a word (or two or more****) about whether you like the story or not!**

**Chapter 3**

**Turban and Diagon Alley**

The Three Broomsticks was nearly empty. After paying for a fire whisky he sat down at a table in the corner from where he could keep an eye on everything that was happening in the bar. It was an old habit; after all he wasn't a double spy for nothing. As he was sipping his drink suddenly he felt his left arm burn. He didn't have to look to know that the shape of the Dark Mark was darker again. The mark disappeared one night about 10 years ago with Voldemort's fall. But after a few days he could see the hated pattern of the mark on his skin again. He knew from that moment that Voldemort wasn't dead. Now since the beginning of summer the mark was getting darker. It was nowhere near the tattoo that was on his arm when Voldemort had power but it was a constant remainder that this peace is not going to last long. Snape was sure they were just between two wars. And if Voldemort finds a way to return he is going to be in the middle of everything. He didn't even want to think about the possibility.

While he was wondering a wizard wearing a big turban entered the bar. He ordered some kind of blood red and black drink and shuddered when tasting it.

He sat down at the opposite corner from Snape.

_Ssseverusss _he heard suddenly. He looked around but no one was nearby.

_I must have imagined it_ he thought. I'm being too paranoid lately. He looked back at the wizard with the turban just in time to catch his gaze before he looked away. Snape sneered. The wizard's reaction was like any of his student's. They couldn't keep eye contact with him either. He quickly finished his fire whisky and left the bar absolutely sure that if he had turned around he would have caught the other wizard staring at him. When he was outside he walked a few steps to see if he was being followed but everything was quiet so he apparated.

Sunday morning Hermione woke up to the familiar ringing of her alarm clock. Her dream was full of strange images that didn't really make sense. She dreamed about a dark man who could repair anything with a wooden stick. People were standing in a line in front of him and he pointed his wand at their broken objects and once again they were whole; he pointed at the ill and suddenly they were healthy, he pointed at the old and at once they were young. Then she was at the hospital with her grandma. She told her that she only has to wait till tomorrow and she is going to have that wooden stick called wand too. But her grandmother was no longer hearing her.

Then she was in a strange school where everyone was wearing black robes and big witch's hats. Dark black cats were following everyone around. She wanted the one following her to go away but then an owl appeared flying next to her. She started running…she ran out of school straight home but she found the dark man sitting in the dining room…

Then she woke up. Next to the alarm clock lay the list of books and equipment she needed for her new school.

HOGWARTS SCHOOL of WITCHCRAFT and WIZARDRY

UNIFORM

First-year students will require:

1. Three sets of plain work robes (black)

2. One plain pointed hat (black) for day wear

3. One pair of protective gloves (dragon hide or similar)

4. One winter cloak (black, silver fastenings)

Please note that all pupils' clothes should carry name tags

COURSE BOOKS

All students should have a copy of each of the following:

The Standard Book of Spells (Grade 1) by Miranda Goshawk

A History of Magic by Bathilda Bagshot

Magical Theory by Adalbert Waffling

A Beginners' Guide to Transfiguration by Emetic Switch

One Thousand Magical Herbs and Fungi by Phyllida Spore

Magical Drafts and Potions by Arsenius Jigger Fantastic

Beasts and Where to Find Them by Newt Scamander

The Dark Forces: A Guide to Self-Protection by Quentin Trimble

OTHER EQUIPMENT

Wand

Cauldron (pewter, standard size 2) set

Glass or crystal phials

Telescope set

Brass scales

Students may also bring an owl OR a cat OR a toad

PARENTS ARE REMINDED THAT FIRST YEARS ARE NOT ALLOWED THEIR OWN BROOMSTICKS!

Hermione read the list again for a hundredth time trying to forget about her nightmare. She found it strange that they could buy all this at London, but Professor Snape said so. He even gave them a piece of parchment on which the address was written. They will find it she was sure.

When finally they found the place Hermione could hardly hide her disappointment. They were standing in front of a tiny, grubby-looking pub. Determined she opened the door and her parents followed her. It didn't look any better from the inside either. It was dark and shabby. She went to the counter and waited for the bartender to serve some boys who were only a few years older than herself and wore strange robes.

"Sir, could you please help me? I'm looking for Diagon alley." She said feeling very foolish. _What if he says that there is no such place? _She started to panic.

"Diagon alley? Just come with me!" said one of the boys. "Is it your first year in Hogwarts?"

"Yes. I just got my letter two days ago. I was so shocked. It's a lot to take in so suddenly" she blurted out.

"A lot to…oh, so you're a muggle born, aren't you? There's nothing wrong with that. I'm a half-blood but I couldn't care less about it. I always say that people who think they are better because of their heritage were dropped to often on their head. You are even lucky to be a muggle born. Less chance for becoming a Slytherin. By the way my name is Oliver Wood. I'm captain of the Gryffindor quidditch team. Oh you don't know about quidditch I guess. Well, I'm sure you're going to love it. Everyone loves flying." he didn't stop speaking even to take a breath while he was leading them to the back of the bar and out into a small, walled courtyard, where there was nothing but a trash can and a few weeds.

"Flying?" asked Hermione shocked.

"Yeah, on brooms! It's the best sport in the world."

Hermione wasn't sure if he was making fun of her so she stayed quiet. The boy took out a wooden stick from his pocket and tapped the brick wall three times.

"You've got a stick too! I mean a wand! That so…"

Hermione turned bright red and stopped speaking. Instead she stared at the incredible sight in front of her. Where Oliver tapped the wall a small hole appeared and grew bigger very quickly. In a few seconds they were facing a street full of busy robed men, women and teenagers.

"Welcome to the magical world!" said the boy smiling

_He is really good looking when he smiles _thought Hermione

"Thank you very much." she said

"Not at all. Just do me a favor and try to get in Gryffindor! We need some good players. Bye, er… what's your name again?

"Oh, Hermione… Hermione Granger. And these are my parents" she nodded towards her parents who were standing behind them staring at the street that appeared in front of them a minute ago.

"It was nice to meet you, Hermione. See you at Hogwarts." he also said good bye to her parents but they still seemed to be in a shock.

"See you!" she said smiling.

"Shall we go?" she asked her parents tentatively.

"Yes, Hermi; I think we should." said Mr Granger finally pulling himself together. "We have to find the Bank first, that's what your professor said, right?"

They stepped out to the street. The shop next to them had all kinds of cauldrons. Hermione tried to imagine what she could use them for but had no idea. Hermione couldn't believe her eyes as she was looking around. Small shops next to each other offering magical objects, potions' ingredients, (Hermione had an idea what the cauldrons are for), pets, brooms, (so Oliver wasn't just making fun of her after all) quills, rolls of parchments, but Hermione's favorite store was the one called Flourish and Blotts. The shelves were stacked to the ceiling with books as large as paving stones bound in leather; books the size of postage stamps in covers of silk; books full of peculiar symbols and a few books with nothing in them at all. She just wanted to start reading and stay there all day, but she knew that they first have to find Gringotts, the wizarding Bank

She pulled out her key from her jeans' pocket. Professor Snape had explained that she as a muggle born will get enough wizarding money each year to buy all necessary things for Hogwarts but at Gringotts she can also change "muggle money" to Galleons, whatever those were.

Finally they reached a snowy white building that towered over the other little shops. Standing beside its burnished bronze doors, wearing a scarlet and gold uniform was a creature that would never have appeared in Hermione's wildest dreams. He was a bit shorter than Hermione and had a swarthy, clever face, a pointed beard and very long fingers and feet. The creature bowed as they walked inside trying not to stare at him.

_Or is it her?_ wondered Hermione. Then she stopped to read the words engraved upon the second door:

"Enter, stranger, but take heed of what awaits the sin of greed, for those who take, but do not earn, must pay most dearly in their turn. So if you seek beneath our floors a treasure that was never yours, thief, you have been warned, beware of finding more than treasure there."

_That's creepy. This would be the last place I would try to break in. _she thought.

Entering the second door they found themselves in a vast marble hall. About a hundred more of the strange creatures were sitting on high stools behind a long counter, scribbling in large ledgers, weighing coins in brass scales, examining precious stones through eyeglasses. There were at least a hundred doors leading off the hall.

Mr Granger determined walked to the nearest creature closely followed by his wife and Hermione.

"Excuse me! I'd like to change Pounds to err… wizarding money."

"I'm sorry but we can't serve muggles unless…" the creature looked at Hermione. "Oh, Does the Missy have her key?"

"It is here." said Hermione pulling it out of her pocket again.

"Your name please?"

"Hermione Granger"

"Miss Granger, you have 50 Galleons in your vault. Are you sure you'd still like to change money?" he asked looking at Mr Granger.

A few minutes later Hermione and her parents left Gringotts with Hermione looking at one of the fifty strange golden coins. Her parents insisted that she should keep her money in the bank and they will buy her everything that she needed for her education. So Hermione left with 50 Galleons and still had the same amount in her vault.

First they bought her robes at Madam Malkin's as well as her hat and winter cloak. They found dragon hide gloves at a potions store which smelled terrible and offered all kinds of potions ingredients. Hermione also got her cauldron set, glass phials, telescope set and brass scales there.

Then they went to a wand shop. Peeling gold letters over the door read:

"Ollivanders: Makers of Fine Wands since 382 B.C."

A tinkling bell rang somewhere in the depths of the shop as they stepped inside. It was a tiny place. Hermione suddenly felt at home the way she always did when she entered a library. She looked at the thousands of narrow boxes piled neatly right up to the ceiling. The whole room seemed to be full of magic.

"Good afternoon!" said a soft voice.

"Hi, sir" said Hermione smiling at the old man.

"First year at Hogwarts, Miss…?"

"Granger… Hermione Granger. And these are my parents."

Mr Ollivander looked at her parents as if trying to remember for something and then shook his head.

"Let's see… let's see…" muttered Ollivander "Try this one. Beechwood and dragon heartstring. Nine inches. Nice and flexible. Just take it and give it a wave."

Hermione tried but nothing happened.

"No, no…let's see…"

"How do I know which wand is good for me?"

"Oh, don't worry about that. The wand always chooses the wizards and witches it just takes a few tries. Let's see… Vine wood and dragon heartstring. Ten and three quarter inches. Really flexible. Try this one.

Hermione waved it and at once a shining silver owl appeared. It was shining there for a few seconds then it faded away.

"Ah! That's incredible!" exclaimed Mr Ollivander.

"Wasn't it supposed to do that?" asked Hermione gripping the wand as if she would never want to let go of it again.

"It was definitely surprising. But don't forget the wand chooses the witch, and this one definitely chose you." He smiled at her encouragingly "Your magic is very strong, I'm sure I'm going to hear about you Miss Granger."

"Thank you" said Hermione not really sure if that was the right thing to say. She paid 7 Galleons for her wand and left the store with her parents.

"Hermione, are you ready?" asked Mrs Granger

"Let her look around" said Robert who was absolutely fascinated by the bookstore.

"We've been here for about an hour. You two spent nearly all the money you've got on books if we stay any longer we won't be able to buy a pet for Hermione. Let's get out of here. Hermione, come on!"

"Just a minute! said Hermione looking up from her new book titled Hogwarts, A History.

She walked to one of the shop assistants.

"Excuse me, could you tell me if there are… hmm… wizarding libraries?"

"Sure, there are. One of the best ones is actually in the school that you are reading about." he said nodding at the book in Hermione's hands. "There is also the Library of all Knowledge which is the greatest wizarding library on earth. You can buy membership for a year for 3 Galleons or membership for life for only 10 Galleons."

"Where is that library?" asked Hermione curiously.

"Well, well, no one really knows. They always owl their books. If you are a member you get a list of all the books they have and can order a book by tapping the title on the list three times with your wand."

"That's wonderful! Mum, dad!"

"Are you ready to go finally?" asked Mrs Granger impatiently.

"Well, I was thinking, and I wouldn't really like a cat or owl and definitely not a toad."

"But Hermione those are the only pets you are allowed to take."

"Yes I know, what I mean is I don't really need a pet. I'd much rather become a member of the greatest wizarding library."

"Are you sure, Hermi? Most of your classmates will probably have pets you know." said Mr Granger

"I'm sure, dad!"

"Well, we've got 13 Galleons 6 Sickles and 4 Knuts. You can spend it as you like. Your birthday is approaching anyway." he said smiling.

Hermione went back to the salesman smiling.

"I'd like to be a member of the Library of All Knowledge" she said and couldn't have been happier.


	4. Chapter 4

I don't own Harry Potter. I don't really think anyone can say that they own him since he is a great wizard not a poor houseelf. Of course thanks to SPEW houselves have a better life these days too. Actually I don't own any houseelves either. Nor any other creatures from the HP universe.

Thanks for the review to **Lost O'Fallon Girl**!

**Goodbyes and toads**

"Are you ready Hermi?" yelled Robert.

"I'm coming in a minute!" Hermione yelled back staring at her trunk willing herself to move. The trunk was quite small thanks to a handy spell she found in a book titled "Charmingly Easy Charms", that she checked out from her favorite library. It made the trunk bigger on the inside but if someone looked at it, it seemed normal from the outside. It also made all her stuff really lightweight. She actually thought about using the spell on her reticule, and not taking a trunk at all but she didn't want to scare her parents. After a few days she had to realize that they needed some time to get used to the idea of magic even if they fully supported her and accepted her being a witch. She fought the appearing tears. She would be alone far from her parents for most of the school year.

_No time to panic. _She thought angrily. She picked up the List of Library books from her bed and put it in her trunk. It was shortly followed by Hogwarts, a History which she was reading for the fifth time and mostly knew it by heart.

She looked around for one last time. On her desk were her muggle textbooks abandoned. She was pretty sure she would never need them again. She walked to her bookshelves which covered most of the wall above her bed and were mostly empty. She couldn't leave behind her books, not after she found that spell so that everything can fit in her trunk. She opened her closet. A few dresses were hanging there. She picked out the small red one with white dots. She loved that one so much that she never got rid of it although it hadn't fit for at least two years. She put it back closed her trunk and walked out of her room. As she was closing the room she saw her old teddy bear on her bed. That was all it take. Tears overflowing she run back grabbed her teddy bear and hugged it to herself.

"Hermione, what's wrong?" asked her mum quietly.

"I'm scared." She muttered.

"You don't have to go you know." said Helen "We don't mind if you don't go to a wizarding school. Mr Snape said that it's your choice."

"He also said I would waste my talent…"

"It's not so important, Hermione. You've always taken your studies too seriously. All I want for you is to be happy. If you think you would be happier in your previous school, you can stay."

"It's not about the school, mum. The school is wonderful! I've read so many great things about it. It's just… I'm going to miss you so much!"

"We are going to miss you terribly, Hermione, but we are sure that Hogwarts is where you belong. We know you weren't really happy here." said Robert who had been standing at the door for a while quietly.

"Thank you." said Hermione with a slight smile on her face "Let's go. I don't want to miss the train."

She walked out of her room, grabbed her trunk again and didn't look back until she was in the car. The familiar house slowly disappeared from view. They didn't speak much during the ride. Everyone was occupied with their own thoughts.

"I love you mum" she whispered hugging her mum.

"Me too, Hermi. Just be careful! And try to send some letters."

"I will, promise" she said and went to hug her father too.

"Take care, Hermi. Just be yourself like always and everything is going to be fine." said Robert forcing a smile.

"Don't worry, dad. I'll be fine."

"I know, I just want you to be better than fine." he said still smiling "Now, hurry up! Let's see if you can really go through that wall."

Hermione looked at the solid brick wall. Even with all the spells she managed to learn during the last month she found it hard to believe that she can go right through a solid wall. She grabbed her trunk and started to hurry in the direction of the wall. She was nearly running. She glanced at her parents one more time and for half a second she wished that she would just run right into the wall because of course magic didn't exist and everything would be back to normal… and then she was standing at a platform full of people. A sign overhead said Hogwarts Express, eleven O'clock and a scarlet steam engine was waiting next to the platform. She slowly passed through the crowd in the direction of the train. Some of the people were wearing robes while others dressed normally. He even saw a small black haired boy looking out from one of the windows of the train wearing clothes that were clearly big on him. She caught sentences from different conversations as walking.

"Look at my new owl, isn't he cute? I haven't decided what to name him yet."

"Yeah, the new Nimbus 2000! I saw one in Diagon alley." said a tall boy with sunglasses.

"Take care and don't worry. It's ok if you are not in Hufflepuff!"

"Lee Jordan, leave my cat alone or I'm going to report you to McGonagall! I'm sure you don't want to spend tonight in detention."

"Mum, please let me go too!" said a small red haired girl nearly crying.

"Ginny, you are going next year when you are old enough."

Hermione felt sorry for the unknown girl but didn't have time to think about it as a dark brown owl landed on her shoulder.

"Are you lost?" she asked the bird.

"There you are, Ernie!" yelled a familiar voice "Hey, Hermione, could I have my owl back?"

"Hi, Oliver" she said smiling while the owl flew on his shoulder "It's a beautiful owl."

"Yeah, I see that you already stole it." said Wood teasingly.

"No, I didn't he just flew here." said Hermione angrily.

"Just joking, please don't bite my head off! You look at me like McGonagall does whenever I try to explain her that I don't have my homework because I had Quidditch practice."

"Hey, Oliver!" yelled a pretty black girl from the train. "Aren't you coming this year?"

"Let's go the train is leaving in 2 minutes." said Wood glancing at his watch. "That's your trunk? Let me give you a hand."

He grabbed the trunk and nearly fell back. The black girl on the train laughed while Hermione was trying to hide her smile.

"Wow, I thought it would be heavier" said Wood

"Yeah, I charmed it." said Hermione smiling.

"Did you?" asked wood surprised. "Didn't you say you were a first year?

Where did you learn spells?"

"From a library book." said Hermione feeling very proud.

"Wow, that's impressive. Come on, you should join us in our compartment and you can tech me that spell." said Oliver smiling.

Hardly had they got on the train when the engines started.

It turned out that Oliver shared a compartment with the black girl who had been laughing at him named Angelina, two other girls Katie and Alicia and a boy called Daniel.

Once Oliver introduced everyone to Hermione he started to talk to Angelina and Katie about Quidditch so Hermione turned to Alicia and Daniel just to realize that they were kissing and didn't need any company at the moment. She turned back to Oliver and the girls but couldn't really understand anything from the conversation. She had read about the main rules in quidditch and found it extremely boring.

Finally she gave up and was just staring at the landscape thinking about her parents the life she left behind and about her new school. Then the two boys left and the three girls started to change into robes. Hermione quickly followed their example.

"So this is your first year." said Alicia smiling at her "Which house would you like to be in?" Do you know about houses?"

"Of, course." Said Hermione "I'd really like to be in Gryffindor or Rawenclaw I think."

"I'd never make it in Rawenclaw. Those kids are real nerds, reading and reading. It would drive me crazy!"

"So which house are you in?" asked Hermione

"Gryffindor where the brave find home" said Alicia in a sing-song voice.

"Dumbledore was there too. Probably it is the best house from what I read." said Hermione.

Then the compartment door opened and a round faced scared looking boy walked in.

"Do you know the concept of knocking?" asked Alicia quickly pulling on her robes.

"I…I'm sorry…" he said turning bright red "Er… have you seen a toad?"

Hermione stared at him for a second before she realized that they were allowed to have a pet.

"We haven't seen it but I can help you find it."

The boys face lit up. "Thanks! That would be cool."

Hermione waved to the girls in her compartment and left with the boy.

"By the way, my name is Hermione Granger." She said.

"I'm Neville Longbottom" said the boy

"So how did you lose your toad?"

"He keeps running away. This is the fourth time in a week. My granny is going to kill me!"

"Your grandma? Do you live with her?"

"Yeah, and she is not going to be happy. Anyway what house are you in?"

"I don't know yet."

"Oh, you're in first year too? I thought…I mean… you look older."

"Well, I'm going to be twelve this September."

"Then you're not much older."

In the first compartment that they entered to ask about Neville's toad sat the black haired boy in his big t-shirt and jeans with a red head boy. They seemed to be first years too.

"Has anyone seen a toad? Neville's lost one." she said trying to sound as confident as possible while looking for a frog.

"We've already told him we haven't seen it." said the red head rather rudely but Hermione didn't care. The boy was pointing his wand at a rat. She read about transfiguring animals but didn't dare to try the spells. She was afraid that she would hurt an animal if the spell went wrong. "Oh, are you doing magic. Let's see it, then."

"Er - all right." said the boy looking a bit scared.

"Sunshine, daisies, butter mellow, Turn this stupid, fat rat yellow."

Hermione could hardly hold back her laughter. She didn't know much about magic but she was pretty sure that such spell didn't exist.

"Are you sure that's a real spell?" She asked.

"Well, it's not very good, is it? I've tried a few simple spells just for practice and it's all worked for me. Nobody in my family's magic at all, it was ever such a surprise when I got my letter, but I was ever so pleased, of course, I mean, it's the very best school of witchcraft there is, I've heard. I've learned all our course books by heart; of course, I just hope it will be enough - I'm Hermione Granger, by the way, who are you?

She spoke very quickly deciding not to mention the fact that first she thought the whole wizarding school was a bad joke. The boys looked at each other quickly looking stunned and she wondered if she said anything wrong.

"I'm Ron Weasley," the red-head muttered

"Harry Potter" said the other boy.

"Are you really?" she asked shocked "I know all about you, of course. I got a few extra books for background reading, and you're in Modern Magical History and The Rise and Fall of the Dark Arts and Great Wizarding Events of the Twentieth Century.

Am I? asked Potter with a blank face.

"Goodness, didn't you know? I'd have found out everything I could if it was me." she said now really surprised "Do either of you know what house you'll be in? I've been asking around, and I hope I'm in Gryffindor, it sounds by far the best; I hear Dumbledore himself was in it, but I suppose Ravenclaw wouldn't be too bad... Anyway, we'd better go and look for Neville's toad. You two had better change, you know, I expect we'll be there soon."

She left with Neville who was openly gaping at her.

"What's the problem?" asked Hermione

"You are a walking library; did nobody tell you that before?"

Hermione looked at Neville wondering if he was teasing her but he seemed sincere.

"Thanks I guess"

"You're welcome I guess" he sad smiling.

"Ok, let's find that toad!"

Please, please leave a review! It takes me forever to write a chapter in English, so it's really nice to see that people actually like the story. Reviews help me continue! Next chapter Hermione has a conversation with the Sorting Hat! And maybe meets with the Potions Master again…


	5. Chapter 5

Just yesterday I tried an identification charm, and no, I'm still not JKR… *really disappointed sad face*

Thanks for the reviews to **Burnedx2, heartmom88, NinaCor11, Isis**!

**Students and Teachers**

Severus entered his quarters and sat down behind his desk. The staff meeting was long and exhausting. And the new teacher, Quirrell, there was something wrong with him. More wrong than the fact that he stole his Defense Against the Dark Arts post. He would make sure to keep an eye on him. Snape never really looked forward to the start of the school year and he didn't feel any different this time. He started to look through the names of arriving first years.

Abbot Hannah… _not even familiar_

Bones Susan… _could be related to Amelia Bones from the Wizengamot_

Boot Terry… Brocklehurst Mandy… Brown Lavender… _that one sounds familiar_

Bulstrode Millicent... Finch-Fletchley Justin… Finnigan Seamus… Granger Hermione _It's a pity she can't be in Slytherin._ He wondered if the sorting hat could put a muggle born in his house at all.

Hervath Andrew… Poor boy, his parents had been Death Eaters later killed by Voldemort for a mistake they never really made. Severus closed his eyes as memories flooded his mind.

"Crucio" said the voice and Severus fought against crying out. The pain was unbearable and it seemed like a lifetime. He tasted blood in his mouth. He must have bit his tong. Then the pain ended and he fell to the floor gasping for air.

"How did she escape?"

"I don't know… My Lord…"

"Who was with you?"

"Hervath… my Lord Jose Hervath."

Voldemort left the room but Snape didn't move. Would the fake memories work?

"Legilimens" he heard from the other room.

_If it's not working I'm dead. I'm sorry, Lily_ he thought.

But it did work. Voldemort found the false memories in Jose's mind about McGonagall's escape.

"Crucio" the screaming from the other room was earsplitting. Snape felt guilty at once. After few minutes everything was quiet.

Voldemort came back. "Severus, you may leave."

Snape stood up slightly shaking from the aftereffects of the curse and quickly left the room. He couldn't believe his luck. Not until he saw the two dead bodies.

Jose and Eliana Hervath

Dead.

Because of him.

Guilty for ever.

_How could I teach the boy?_

_How could I even look in his eyes?_

He sighed. He didn't really have any other choice. He had to stay in Hogwarts. That's what Dumbledore asked from him.

Longbottom Neville… He shuddered. _His father used to be a well known auror. His father was there when the ministry caught him. His father threw him in Azkaban. Three days later Dumbledore came. He saved his life. He owed Dumbledore. There was nothing he wouldn't do if he asked._

MacDougal Morag… Malfoy Draco… _So the smiling murderer's son is in Hogwarts. He'll probably be in my house. Maybe I should pay a visit to Lucius._

Moon Leanne… _from an old wizarding family with members in Slytherin or Rawenclaw. I hope she'll be in my house._

Nott Theodore another Death Eater son

Parkinson Pansy… Patil Padma… Patil Pravati… Perks Sally-Anne… Potter Harry…

_What? The son of Potter? Probably spoiled, famous, popular, even more so than his father. Let's see what he can do at my lesson if he doesn't get any special treatment._

Thomas Dean… Turpin Lisa… Weasley Ronald… _another one? How many children do the Weasleys have?_

He put the list of names away. He needed some sleep. After a quick shower he went straight to bed. Memories hunted him the moment he closed his eyes. Sleep just wouldn't come to him. After a lot of turning from one side to another he got up at 3 am. _Probably the guilty don't deserve a good night's sleep._

He waved his wand and the room was full of light, and then sat down at his desk again. He opened the book he had checked out from the Library of All Knowledge. It was titled Lost Dark Spells. He managed to get a copy from the restricted section of the Hogwarts Library back in his fifth year. In a year he reinvented three of the spells. Sectumsempra, Incidereous and Dolorestar. They were no longer lost at all. Not that anybody else knew about them. And he would never ever use them on a human being.

Hermione enjoyed the boat ride to the castle. She was speechless, when she glimpsed Hogwarts for the first time. Finally they reached an underground harbor and they all climbed out of their boats.

"Oy, you there! Is this your toad?" asked the giant man who was leading them. Was he a giant? Hermione read about giants in her history book. According to that giants were supposed to be much taller and less friendly.

"Trevor!" cried Neville blissfully, holding out his hands. Then they clambered up a passageway in the rock after Mr Giant's –as Hermione decide to call him - lamp, coming out at last onto smooth, damp grass right in the shadow of the castle. Then they walked up a flight of stone steps and crowded around the huge, Oak front door.

"Everyone here? You there, still got yer toad?" asked Mr Giant and knocked three times on the castle door.

The door swung open at once. A tall, black-haired witch in emerald-green robes stood there. She had a very stern face and Hermione was sure that she was a really great professor.

"The firs' years, Professor McGonagall" said Mr Giant.

"Thank you, Hagrid. I will take them from here."

_So it isn't Mr Giant after all_ thought Hermione.

They followed Professor McGonagall through the entrance hall into a small empty chamber. McGonagall told them a few words about the houses and rules, then left.

"Lightweight charm, easy sleep charm, reader charm, repairing charm… what will we have to use?" she wondered "I really should have read The Standard Book of Spells one more time."

Some ghosts appeared. She didn't really pay attention to them. She read that they had ghosts in the school, and was sure that she would have plenty of time to see them.

"The Sorting Ceremony's about to start." announced the returning McGonagall "Now, form a line, and follow me."

They walked out of the chamber, back across the hall, and through a pair of double doors into the Great Hall which was lit by thousands and thousands of candles that were floating in midair over four long tables, where the rest of the students were sitting. The tables were laid with glittering golden plates and goblets. At the top of the hall was another long table where the teachers were sitting.

Professor McGonagall led the first years up there, so that they came to a halt in a line facing the other students, with the teachers behind them. Hundreds of faces were staring at them. She looked up remembering what she read about the ceiling and wasn't disappointed. She saw a beautiful night sky dotted with stars.

"Its bewitched to look like the sky outside. I read about it in Hogwarts, A History." She muttered not even realizing that she spoke out loud.

Professor McGonagall silently placed a four-legged stool in front of the first years. On top of the stool she put a pointed wizard's hat. This hat was patched and frayed and extremely dirty. There was a short silence and then the hat began to sing.

"Hermione Granger" called McGonagall.

Hermione quickly walked to the stool and smiled at her new strict-looking professor waiting for her to put the Sorting hat on her head. It was far too big and it covered her eyes.

"Oh, what a wonderful mind you have! Such a strong magical potential I haven't seen in ages." Said a small voice in her head.

_Thank you_ thought Hermione not sure if she should answer a hat.

"Don't worry, dear, you'll get used to all the magic around you. You belong in this world. But now it's time to decide which house you belong to. You'd definitely do very well in Rawenclaw."

Hermione felt a slight disappointment.

"Oh, I see, you're more adventurous than that. You would also do well in Slytherin but I think it would be easier for you to make friends in GRYFFINDOR!" The last word was loud enough for everyone to hear.

"Thanks!" she said happily and gave back the hat to McGonagall and would have sworn that she saw a smile on her professor's face. Then she hurried to her cheering housemates.

The sorting finally ended with Ronald Weasley who joined her table at Gryffindor. Hermione made sure that she can remember each new student's name and house.

Then McGonagall took the Sorting Hat away and Headmaster Albus Dumbledore rose up to give a speech. Well, at least Hermione thought so, but…

"Welcome," he said. "Welcome to a new year at Hogwarts! Before we begin our banquet, I would like to say a few words. And here they are: Nitwit! Blubber! Oddment! Tweak! "Thank you!"

_Are those spells?_ wondered Hermione while everyone else was clapping and cheering. Then she looked back at the table and realized that those must have been magic spells indeed. The tables were full of food. She helped herself with some roast chicken, carrots, corns, and peas. It was all delicious. For a while she just concentrated on her food and thought about how strange it was that she never read a word about magical tables in Hogwarts a History. _Maybe it is usual in a wizarding family._

When everyone finished eating the remains of their food disappeared and the plates were clean once again. A moment later desserts appeared. Hermione decided on strawberries then tried to listen in on what her housemates were talking about.

"I'm sure I'll have a lot of extra responsibilities this year, I mean being a prefect…" said a boy who looked very much like Ronald.

"What is a prefect?" asked Hermione

"Every school year they choose the two best students from fifth grade to become prefects in each house. I'm one of them." Said the boy proudly.

"Congratulations" said Hermione "So you must be really good at the classes"

"It depends" he said. "I'm really good at most subjects and pretty much excellent in Charms but I find Potions a bit difficult. Of course you can't get good grades in Snape's class unless you're a Slytherin. Nobody likes that old bat."

"Professor Snape? He was the one who visited me during summer to explain to me that I'm a witch. I'm muggle born, you see."

"Well, I'm really sorry. Don't worry, most of the teachers are not like him at all."

Hermione wasn't sure what he meant so she decided to just ask a more simple question. "Are you Ronald's brother?"

"Yes, I'm Percy Weasley. So what do you think about Hogwarts so far?"

"Well, it's… how should I say? It's just magical." Smiled Hermione "I can't wait till our first lessons. I'm so excited."

"Well you don't have to wait long for that. Tomorrow morning at breakfast you'll get your schedules and then you're ready to go to your first class."

"I do hope they start right away, there's so much to learn, I'm particularly interested in Transfiguration, you know, turning something into something else, of course, it's supposed to be very difficult."

"You'll be starting small, just matches into needles and that sort of thing. Nothing to worry about. I'm sure you'll do fine."

"So who are the teachers?" asked Hermione looking at the staff table. "I only know Professor Dumbledore, McGonagall and Snape and Hagrid."

"It's Professor Quirrell next to Professor Snape in that purple turban. He is a new teacher. He is going to teach Defense Against the Dark Arts. Next to him is Professor Trelawney she is not going to teach you till third year. Then Filch the caretaker. Make sure he never catches you breaking any rules or that you avoid him as much as possible. Next to him is Professor Hooch who teaches flying to the first years and organizes the Quidditch Games. Professor Flitwick is the tiny professor next to the Headmaster. He teaches Charms and happens to be my favorite teacher. Next is McGonagall talking to professor Sprout and Madam Pomfrey who works at the Hospital Wing. Bathsheda Babbling, Charity Burbage, Aurora Sinistra, Septima Vector and Silvanus Kettleburn are not going to teach you till third year either. And of course Hagrid, he is…"

"Who is that

"Who's that teacher talking to Professor Quirrell?" asked Harry interrupting him.

"Oh, you know Quirrell already, do you. No wonder he's looking so nervous, that's Professor Snape. He teaches Potions, but he doesn't want to. Everyone knows he's after Quirrell's job. Knows an awful lot about the Dark Arts, Snape." The black haired boy seemed to be hypnotized by Snape or at least he was staring at him for a while.

Percy turned back to Hermione. "Where was I?"

"You were saying something about Professor Hagrid." she said.

"Oh, yeah! He is not really a professor, he is the game keeper. There's a rumor that…"

But at that moment Professor Dumbledore got to his feet again and the hall fell silent.

"Ahern, just a few more words now that we are all fed and watered. I have a few start-of-term notices to give you. First years should note that the forest on the grounds is forbidden to all pupils. And a few of our older students would do well to remember that as well. I have also been asked by Mr. Filch, the caretaker, to remind you all that no magic should be used between classes in the corridors. Quidditch trials will be held in the second week of the term. Anyone interested in playing for their house teams should contact Madam Hooch. And finally, I must tell you that this year, the third-floor corridor on the right-hand side is out of bounds to everyone who does not wish to die a very painful death."

Hermione didn't know if it was a joke but if it was it was definitely a bad one.

"And now, before we go to bed, let us sing the school song!" cried Dumbledore.

Dumbledore gave his wand a little flick, as if he was trying to get a fly off the end, and a long golden ribbon flew out of it, which rose high above the tables and twisted itself, snakelike, into words.

"Everyone pick their favorite tune," said Dumbledore, "and off we go!"

And the school bellowed:

"Hogwarts, Hogwarts, Hoggy Warty Hogwarts,

Teach us something please,  
Whether we be old and bald,  
Or young with scabby knees,  
Our heads could do with filling,  
With some interesting stuff,  
For now they're bare and full of air,  
Dead flies and bits of fluff,  
So teach us things worth knowing,  
Bring back what we've forgot,  
Just do your best, we'll do the rest,  
And learn until our brains all rot."  
Hermione picked a quick tempo and joined in the song after the second line. It was really funny for a school song but she liked it.

"Ah, music," said Dumbledore, wiping his eyes. "A magic beyond all we do here! And now, bedtime. Off you trot!"

Hermione quickly got up and followed Percy staircase after staircase. They went through some doorways hidden behind sliding panels and hanging tapestries. Hermione already loved the castle. It seemed like a great maze. She made a mental note to get up extra early the next day so that she wouldn't miss her first class. Suddenly Percy stopped.

A bundle of walking sticks was floating in midair ahead of them, and as Percy took a step toward them they started throwing themselves at him.

"Peeves," whispered Percy.

_A poltergeist. Why is he in the castle? _wondered Hermione.

When finally Hermione and her two roommates Lavender and Pravati arrived to their dormitory they all seemed to be to exhausted to do anything but go to bed.

When lying in bed Hermione thought of her parents again. She wanted to share everything with them. She wished that she had an owl as she was pretty sure the postman never came to the castle. She fell asleep after a few minutes dreaming about learning transfiguration.

I've been working on this chapter in school, during my lesson, and then typing it in the afternoons and evenings… so please review!

Reviews make my day! I can't wait to read them!:)


	6. Chapter 6

**Isis78-13, Emi-chan3192 and neverest** thanks for the reviews!

I still only own one copy of all Harry Potter books but none of the ideas and characters. Too bad!

* * *

Potions master and Letters

There were a hundred and forty-two staircases at Hogwarts: wide, sweeping ones; narrow, rickety ones; some that led somewhere different on a Friday; some with a vanishing step halfway up that you had to remember to jump. Then there were doors that wouldn't open unless you asked politely, or tickled them in exactly the right place, and doors that weren't really doors at all, but solid walls just pretending. It was also very hard to remember where anything was, because it all seemed to move around a lot. Even the people in the portraits kept going to visit each other.

But Hermione was expecting nothing less after reading Hogwarts, a History. She had no problem finding her way around, thanks to the detailed map that was at the front of her book. Soon she realized that not all the passageways were on her map. There were secret passageways all over the castle used by some of the older students and the caretaker Filch. Hermione couldn't stand the man from the first moment. He was a grumpy man, and everyone soon realized that instead of asking help for directions it's better to avoid him. On the other hand Hermione tried to help her classmates to get to their classrooms. Neville usually followed her around everywhere but she didn't mind. They had hardly anything in common but Hermione was really patient with him, and he turned out to be really nice but quite clumsy.

Hermione was extremely happy when their lessons started. There was so much to learn. The first week she hardly slept at all and spent all her free time reading in the Library or practicing spells in the Common Room.

They had to study the night skies through their telescopes every Wednesday at midnight and learn the names of different stars and the movements of the planets. Three times a week they went out to the greenhouses behind the castle to study Herbology, with a dumpy little witch called Professor Sprout, where they learned how to take care of all the strange plants and fungi, and found out what they were used for.

Hermione was terribly disappointed in History of Magic, which was the only subject taught by a ghost. Professor Binns had been very old indeed when he had fallen asleep in front of the staff room fire and got up next morning to teach, leaving his body behind him. Binns droned on and on while Hermione was trying to keep up and not fall asleep like most of her classmates. It was utterly boring.

Professor McGonagall was her favorite teacher by far. Strict and clever, she gave them a talking-to the moment they sat down in her first class and Hermione memorized everything she said by heart.

"Transfiguration is some of the most complex and dangerous magic you will learn at Hogwarts," she said. "Anyone messing around in my class will leave and not come back. You have been warned." Then she changed her desk into a pig and back again. Hermione read a lot about the difficulties of transfiguring animals so she was really impressed and really hoped that one day she would be able to do the same.

After taking notes, they were each given a match and started trying to turn it into a needle. Hermione realized at once that Professor McGonagall wasn't kidding about how difficult transfiguration was. The bell nearly rang by the time she finally managed to transfigure her match into the shape of a needle and it became silver, however it was still made of wood. She was quite disappointed until Professor McGonagall showed the class how her match had gone all silver and pointy and gave Hermione a rare smile. It turned out that nobody else's match changed at all.

The class everyone else had really been looking forward to was Defense Against the Dark Arts, but Hermione couldn't find the subject too interesting. Quirrell's lessons turned out to be a bit of a joke. His turban, he told them, had been given to him by an African prince as a thank-you for getting rid of a troublesome zombie, but Hermione was sure he wasn't telling the truth. Actually from the first moment she was sure that the nervous-looking man was hiding something.

Hermione was very relieved to find out that he wasn't miles behind everyone else. Lots of people had come from Muggle families and, like her, hadn't had any idea that they were witches and wizards. In some classes she even had a head start thanks to all the books she had read during the last month.

By Friday she was really used to her new life. She still missed her parents but she found out that anyone could use the school's owls to send letters so she was planning to write a letter that afternoon.

As she sat down for breakfast at the Gryffindor table she couldn't help overhearing the conversation of Ron and Harry.

"What have we got today?" Harry asked Ron.

"Double Potions with the Slytherins," said Ron. "Snape is Head of Slytherin House. They say he always favors them… we'll be able to see if it's true."

Hermione didn't want to believe that. Professor Snape seemed to be nice enough when she met him. Sure, he seemed to be strict and not too patient but he seemed like a fair teacher. She was to find out soon.

Potions lessons took place down in one of the dungeons so she hurried to make sure she wasn't late. It was colder here than up in the main castle, and would have been quite creepy enough without the pickled animals floating in glass jars all around the walls. She shivered and felt a bit scared for the first time since the sorting.

Snape started the class by taking the roll call, and he paused at Harry's name. It wasn't really a surprise. A lot of teachers were excited about having him in the class. And students especially the ones from wizarding families treated him differently too.

"Ah, yes," he said softly, "Harry Potter. Our new… celebrity." Hermione looked at him shocked while Draco Malfoy and his friends sniggered behind their hands. Snape finished calling the names and looked up at the class. His dark black eyes daring them to make eye-contact. She looked straight back for a second before she had to look down at her desk. His eyes were so empty, lacking any warmth that it scared her even more than the pickled animals in the glass jars.

"You are here to learn the subtle science and exact art of potionmaking," he began. He spoke in barely more than a whisper, but they caught every word.

"As there is little foolish wand-waving here, many of you will hardly believe this is magic. I don't expect you will really understand the beauty of the softly simmering cauldron with its shimmering fumes, the delicate power of liquids that creep through human veins, bewitching the mind, ensnaring the senses... I can teach you how to bottle fame, brew glory, even stopper death - if you aren't as big a bunch of dunderheads as I usually have to teach."

More silence followed this little speech and Hermione Granger was leaning forward and wanted to start learning everything that Professor Snape mentioned about potion making in his little speech.

"Potter!" said Snape suddenly. "What would I get if I added powdered root of asphodel to an infusion of wormwood."

Hermione's hand had shot into the air without even thinking about it.

"I don't know, sir." said Harry.

Snape's lips curled into a sneer.

"Tut, tut… fame clearly isn't everything." He ignored Hermione's hand to her disappointment and continued asking Harry.

"Let's try again. Potter, where would you look if I told you to find me a bezoar?" Hermione stretched her hand as high into the air as it would go without her leaving her seat, but Harry didn't seem to have the have the faintest idea what a bezoar was. The Slytherin boys were laughing again which made Hermione furious. She was sure they wouldn't know the answer either.

"I don't know, sir." said Harry again.

"Thought you wouldn't open a book before coming, eh, Potter." Harry didn't say anything and Snape was still ignoring Hermione's quivering hand.

"What is the difference, Potter, between monkshood and wolfsbane?" he asked and Hermione stood up, her hand stretching toward the dungeon ceiling.

"I don't know." said Harry quietly. "I think Hermione does, though, why don't you try her.

Hermione took a big breath and was about to start saying word for word what she read in the book but…

"Sit down," Snape snapped at her. "For your information, Potter, asphodel and wormwood make a sleeping potion so powerful it is known as the Draught of Living Death. A bezoar is a stone taken from the stomach of a goat and it will save you from most poisons. As for monkshood and wolfsbane, they are the same plant, which also goes by the name of aconite. Well. Why aren't you all copying that down?"

There was a sudden rummaging for quills and parchment. Over the noise, Snape said "And a point will be taken from Gryffindor House for your cheek, Potter."

After they finished writing Snape put them all into pairs and set them to mixing up a simple potion to cure boils. He swept around in his long black cloak, watching them weigh dried nettles and crush snake fangs, criticizing almost everyon. He stopped at Hermione's cauldron looked at it over his hooked nose and turned away seemingly displeased. Hermione rechecked the instructions and was sure that she followed each step correctly. She didn't understand what his problem was. At the end of the lesson suddenly clouds of acid green smoke and a loud hissing filled the dungeon. Neville had somehow managed to melt Seamus's cauldron into a twisted blob, and their potion was seeping across the stone floor, burning holes in people's shoes. Within seconds, the whole class was standing on their stools while Neville, who had been drenched in the potion when the cauldron collapsed, moaned in pain as angry red boils sprang up all over his arms and legs.

"Idiot boy!" snarled Snape, clearing the spilled potion away with one wave of his wand. "I suppose you added the porcupine quills before taking the cauldron off the fire." Neville whimpered as boils started to pop up all over his nose and Hermione was furious at the professor. Can't he see that Neville needed help? She jumped down from her stool and started to move towards Neville.

"Take him up to the hospital wing," Snape spat at Seamus. Then he rounded on Harry and Ron, who had been working next to Neville.

"You… Potter… why didn't you tell him not to add the quills. Thought he'd make you look good if he got it wrong, did you. That's another point you've lost for Gryffindor." Hermione gaped at Professor Snape. The unfairness of the situation made her even angrier if possible. Harry opened his mouth to argue, but Ron kicked him behind their cauldron.

"Don't push it." heard Hermione the red-head whisper "I've heard Snape can turn very nasty."

Hermione was relieved when the class was finally over. She was sure that her potion was perfect when she put her bottle down on Snape's desk. She even attempted a smile at her professor but her anger didn't disappear and Snape only raised an eyebrow at her.

The rest of her lessons went by quickly and she soon found herself sitting near a fireplace in the Common Room writing a letter.

_Dear Mum & Dad,_

_I've had a wonderful time here so far. When we arrived we were sorted to the four school houses. You know I told you that I wanted to be in Gryffindor or Rawenclaw. Well, guess what. I'm in Gryffindor. But the Sorting Hat (it's an old magical object that picks the most suitable house for everyone) told me that I would do well in Rawenclaw or Slytherin too._

_The next day our lessons started! I love transfiguration so much! Our teacher Professor McGonagall is really strict but also really nice. And I managed to turn my match into a needle at the first lesson. I'm relieved to see that I'm not behind the others thanks to the books I've read. The library membership was clearly a great idea. I think you should join too dad. I'm sure you'd love some of the books on history. I really enjoy learning all this new stuff. Well, you know me, I must memorize everything. Everyone is really nice here and I spend a lot of time with Neville who is also in Gryffindor but sometimes I doubt that the sorting hat was right about him. I guess I shouldn't say that. He is really nice after all. Oh, yeah there is one exception from the "everyone is nice" rule. Guess who it is. Professor Snape. He is head of Slytherin house and he hates Gryffindors for some reason. Especially a boy named Harry Potter. Do you remember when I told you about what I read in Modern Magical History about a boy named Harry Potter? Well he is another new Gryffindor in the school. I didn't really spoke to him yet though. He seems to find it annoying that people are whispering about him. Even the teachers pay special attention to him but he acts as if he was surprised about it. Maybe he was brought up in an orphanage. But that still doesn't make sense. I mean he is one of the most famous wizards of the age._

_About the castle… what should I say? It's so magical! The portraits are moving. Ghosts are floating in the corridors. After school students are practicing different spells or playing different magical games. The post arrives by owls. (By the way if you'd like to answer you can send a letter back with this school owl.) The staircases move around all the time. You can find secret passageways behind portraits. It's so wonderful!_

_Of course I'm still getting used to it. Sometimes it's hard to believe that Hogwarts really can exist and it's not only a dream._

_I hope you are well too. I miss you a lot._

_Love,_

_Hermione_

_She sealed _the envelope and headed for the Owlery. Down one staircase, right turn, straight ahead on the corridor, right turn, three staircases up, tickle the door, left turn, straight ahead until the staircases on the right… except for the fact that there were no staircases on the right at all.

_Congratulations, Hermione_ she thought realizing that she left her book of Hogwarts, a History in her bag.

_I'll just have to go back _she thought. When she got to the door which she came through on her way, she couldn't remember what to do with it. She had to tickle it from the other side but what was the trick from this side.

"Could you please open?" she asked hopefully.

The door didn't move. She started to tickle it, but that didn't help, she knocked on it, scratched it, pleaded with it and even kicked it angrily. The door opened.

"Oh, so you have to kick it" she said relieved.

"Who do you want to kick? If you have a problem with someone I can teach you some useful spells." said Oliver Wood raising his eyebrows.

"Oh, hi!" said Hermione "I just figured out that you have to kick the door to get through it."

"Which one? I've never seen one like that and I've been here for a few years."

"It's er… on the fourth floor I think." lied Hermione quickly.

"You've only been here for a weak and you're already discovering secret passageways. The Weasley twins will soon have competition."

"If I found a secret passageway that was by chance. I don't think I could find it again. Actually right now I have a problem with finding the Owlery she smiled sheepishly.

"I'm heading there too" said Wood pulling out a letter from his pocket. "You just have to go up two staircases, behind those walls."

"Er, they seem to be pretty solid walls to me" said Hermione.

"Of course they seem to be. How did you get to the platform of Hogwarts Express?"

"Oh, I see said Hermione" and walked right into the wall falling back. Oliver jumped to catch her at once.

"That wasn't funny, you jerk!" yelled Hermione angrily.

Oliver slowly let her down at the side of the corridor and moved to the wall pulling out his wand.

"Vingardium Leviosa" he said calmly and a big cabinet appeared out from the wall flying in the direction of the end of the corridor following his wand movements.

"Peeves!" he yelled angrily but he didn't get an answer instead a jar of water appeared above his head and in a second he was covered in water. "Peeves get out of here!" he yelled again. They could hear the laughter of the leaving poltergeist.

"I'm sorry. I thought it was a trick." said Hermione standing up embarrassed.

"Well, it was. It just wasn't mine." said Wood.

An awkward silence followed only broken by the sound of the water drops from Oliver's still soaked hair and clothes.

"I think you should change. It's quite cold." said Hermione just to break the silence.

"It's ok I'm used to it. Quidditch practices cannot be cancelled because of bad weather. Well, I guess I'll try this time" he said and walked through the wall carefully. Hermione followed him just as slowly. Then they walked up on the stairs and reached the Owlery. Oliver quickly tied his letter to the leg of a large black owl and sent it flying thorough one of the many windows while Hermione was still looking around.

"You need help?" asked Oliver.

"Yes, thanks." Said Hermione as Wood moved to tie her letter to the legs of a smaller white owl. "Who are you writing to?"

"My parents" she said.

"Do you miss them?"

"Yes, very much" she admitted quietly.

"You'll get used to it. At first everyone misses home. I still write to my brother and my mum every other day." he said smiling. "My brother is non-magician he is one year younger than me."

"You really like him, don't you?"

"Yeah, he is really cool. I wish he could be in Hogwarts too and yeah, I really like him."

They continued talking about family then about the school and differences in the wizarding and non-magical world.

Hermione enjoyed herself greatly. She didn't mind spending time with Neville but she wanted the company of someone more confident and more… well she wasn't sure what she liked so much about Oliver.

They were talking and laughing and it wasn't until the sunset that Hermione realized how late it was.

_What's wrong with me?_ She looked at Oliver.

_He is really sweet. _She blushed deeply. _Oh, god I really like him._

"What's wrong?" asked Oliver concerned.

"Nothing" she said blushing even more "So what did you write to your brother in your letter?" she asked trying to change the topic.

"In what letter?"

"The one you've just sent. Well, about two hours ago anyway." _Why am I blushing again? He must like me to otherwise he wouldn't be here chatting with me._

"Oh, that" he said a distant look in his eyes "I sent that to my girlfriend."

_To his girlfriend? To his girlfriend. Shoot, Hermione it's time to wake up. He has a girlfriend._

"Are you sure, you're Ok?" asked Oliver with worry in his eyes but clearly nothing more.

"Well, I've got a bit of a headache" lied Hermione.

* * *

Please review! I don't have school tomorrow and a few reviews may encourage me to spend the day with writing. =D


	7. Chapter 7

Thanks for the reviews to **Lost O'Fallon Girl, Burnedx2, Isis78-13!**

And I don't own the three headed dog or Peeves or Filch. (And I'm quite happy about it. They are all terrible.)

* * *

Brooms and rule breaking

Hermione woke up in a really bad mood and spotting a notice pinned up in the Gryffindor common room didn't make her feel better at all.

"Flying lessons would be starting on Thursday" she read. From that moment everyone was talking about Quidditch, brooms, chances of the Gryffindor Quidditch team and tryouts. All this stuff reminded her of one person: The captain of the Gryffindor quidditch team. She tried to go back to her beloved books but it wasn't easy and soon she was reading a book titled Quidditch Through the Ages. Neville was hanging on her words when on Thursday morning she was explaining flying tips to everyone who was willing to listen. When the mail arrived a barn owl brought Neville a small package from his grandmother.

He opened it excitedly and showed them a glass ball the size of a large marble, which seemed to be full of white smoke.

"It's a Remembrall!" he explained. "Gran knows I forget things… this tells you if there's something you've forgotten to do. Look, you hold it tight like this and if it turns red… oh..." His face fell, because the Remembrall had suddenly glowed scarlet, "You've forgotten something..."

As Neville was trying to remember what he'd forgotten Draco Malfoy snatched the Remembrall out of his hand.

Harry and Ron jumped to their feet. Hermione muttered "Pruritum" quietly.

At that moment Professor McGonagall, who could spot trouble quicker than any teacher in the school arrived.

"What's going on?" she asked.

"Malfoy's got my Remembrall, Professor."

Scowling, Malfoy quickly dropped the Remembrall back on the table. Hermione smiled looking at the red dots appearing on his hand.

"Just looking," he said, and he sloped away with Crabbe and Goyle behind him.

"Miss Granger, for a word, please" Hermione followed Professor McGonagall.

"Five point to Gryffindor for a well executed Pruritum spell but…"

"Thank you Professor" said Hermione said and suddenly her bad mood was gone.

"…but four points from Gryffindor for hexing someone in the Great Hall." she said turned around and headed for her office.

Hermione was still happy with her one point.

At three-thirty that afternoon, she hurried down the front steps onto the grounds for her first flying lesson with the other Gryffindors. It was a clear, breezy day, and the grass rippled under their feet as they marched down the sloping lawns toward a smooth, flat lawn on the opposite side of the grounds to the forbidden forest, whose trees were swaying darkly in the distance.

The Slytherins were already there, and so were twenty broomsticks lying in neat lines on the ground. Hermione didn't know much about brooms but none of these looked too encouraging. Their teacher, Madam Hooch, arrived. She had short, gray hair, and yellow eyes like a hawk.

"Well, what are you all waiting for." she barked. "Everyone stand by a broomstick. Come on, hurry up."

Hermione stood next to a broom and waited for further instructions slightly panicking but trying to hide it. She had a fear of heights ever since she fell out through the third floor window. Miraculously she wasn't hurt at all, but she never forgot it

"Stick out your right hand over your broom," called Madam Hooch at the front, "and say Up!"

"Up" everyone shouted.

Hermione's broom only rolled over on the ground. She tried till it finally very slowly flew into her hands.

Madam Hooch then showed them how to mount their brooms without sliding off the end, and walked up and down the rows correcting their grips.

"Now, when I blow my whistle, you kick off from the ground, hard," said Madam Hooch. "Keep your brooms steady, rise a few feet, and then come straight back down by leaning forward slightly. On my whistle… three… two…"

But Neville, nervous and jumpy and frightened of being left on the ground, pushed off hard before the whistle had touched Madam Hooch's lips.

"Come back, boy!" she shouted, but Neville was rising straight up like a cork shot out of a bottle… twelve feet… twenty feet… Hermione pulled out her wand exactly at the moment when Neville lost his balance and fell off the broom.

"Vingardium Leviosa" she muttered but Neville didn't start flying like the cabinet had the other day instead hit the floor with a loud "THUMP"

In a few seconds Hooch was bending over Neville, her face as white as his.

"Broken wrist," she muttered "Come on, boy… it's all right, up you get.".

She turned to the rest of the class.

"None of you is to move while I take this boy to the hospital wing! You leave those brooms where they are or you'll be out of Hogwarts before you can say 'Quidditch.' Come on, dear."

Neville, his face tear-streaked, clutching his wrist, hobbled off with Madam Hooch, who had her arm around him.

No sooner were they out of earshot than Malfoy burst into laughter.

"Did you see his face, the great lump." The other Slytherins joined in.

"Shut up, Malfoy," snapped Parvati Patil while Hermione was thinking about another useful spell to try on him, but she was sure that she wouldn't get away with it this time so she decided against it.

"Ooh, sticking up for Longbottom." said Pansy Parkinson, a hard-faced Slytherin girl. "Never thought you'd like fat little crybabies, Parvati."

"Look!" said Malfoy, darting forward and snatching something out of the grass.

"It's that stupid thing Long bottom's grandma sent him." The Remembrall glittered in the sun as he held it up.

"Give that here, Malfoy," said Harry.

Malfoy smiled nastily.

"I think I'll leave it somewhere for Longbottom to find… how about… up a tree."

"Give it here!" Harry yelled, but Malfoy had leapt onto his broomstick and taken off. Hovering level with the topmost branches of an oak he called, "Come and get it, Potter!" Harry grabbed his broom.

"No!" shouted Hermione her rule following self finally taking control "Madam Hooch told us not to move… you'll get us all into trouble."

Harry ignored her and Hermione couldn't help but scream as he left the ground quickly.

"Give it here," Harry called again when he was a few meters from Malfoy "or I'll knock you off that broom!"

Hermione couldn't hear Malfoy's answer or the rest of the conversation but she saw Harry trying to knock the Slytherin boy off his broom. Then Malfoy was streaking back towards the ground. Harry started to go down too but far too quickly. Hermione didn't understand it. Earlier he seemed to be good at riding the broom.

A foot from the ground he pulled his broom straight, and he toppled gently onto the grass. Hermione didn't understand what was going on until she saw the Remembrall in his hand.

"HARRY POTTER!" Professor McGonagall was running toward them.

"Never… in all my time at Hogwarts…"

Professor McGonagall was almost speechless with shock, and her glasses flashed furiously, "…how dare you… might have broken your neck…"

"It wasn't his fault, Professor…"

"Be quiet, Miss Patil!"

"But Malfoy…"

"That's enough, Mr. Weasley. Potter, follow me, now."

The boy looked so miserable that Hermione almost felt sorry for him. Of course he deserved it. Hermione had warned him. With a pang of guild she remembered how she hexed Malfoy this morning and how she got a point for that for Gryffindor. She was sure that Harry won't get away with his rule-breaking so easily

At dinner Hermione was sitting opposite to Ron and Harry. As she was listening to their conversation she had to realize that Harry was much luckier than anyone expected. He became Gryffindor seeker. Hermione was really annoyed and slightly jealous. She wished she could be in Oliver's team.

"Having a last meal, Potter? When are you getting the train back to the Muggles?" Malfoy's voice distracted her from her thoughts.

"You're a lot braver now that you're back on the ground and you've got your little friends with you." said Harry.

"I'd take you on anytime on my own," said Malfoy. "Tonight, if you want.

Wizard's duel. Wands only… no contact. What's the matter? Never heard of a wizard's duel before, I suppose."

"Of course he has," said Ron, wheeling around. "I'm his second, who's yours?"

"Crabbe," said Malfoy "Midnight all right? We'll meet you in the trophy room; that's always unlocked."

When Malfoy had gone, Hermione got up to go around the table and talk to the boys. She was sure Malfoy was trying to get Harry and Ron caught by a teacher outside of the common room past curfew.

"Excuse me."

"Can't a person eat in peace in this place?" asked Ron.

Hermione ignored him and spoke to Harry.

"I couldn't help overhearing what you and Malfoy were saying…"

"Bet you could," Ron muttered laud enough for Hermione to hear

"…and you mustn't go wandering around the school at night, think of the points you'll lose Gryffindor if you're caught, and you're bound to be. It's really very selfish of you."

"And it's really none of your business," said Harry.

"Good-bye," said Ron.

Hermione was furious and decided that she would make sure that they are not going anywhere.

* * *

She waited in the Gryffindor common room hoping that the boys wouldn't turn up. But round half past eleven two shadows were moving towards the Fat Lady's portrait.

"I can't believe you're going to do this, Harry." A lamp flickered on. It was Hermione Granger, wearing a pink bathrobe and a frown.

"You!" said Ron furiously. "Go back to bed!"

"I almost told your brother," she said angrily wishing that she would have thought of it earlier "Percy… he's a prefect, he'd put a stop to this."

"Come on," Harry said and pushed open the portrait of the Fat Lady and climbed through the hole.

Hermione wasn't going to give up that easily and followed them through the portrait hall.

"Don't you care about Gryffindor? Do you only care about yourselves? I don't want Slytherin to win the house cup, and you'll lose all the points I got from Professor McGonagall for knowing about Switching Spells."

"Go away."

"All right, but I warned you. You just remember what I said when you're on the train home tomorrow, you're so…"

Hermione turned to the portrait of the Fat Lady to get back inside and found herself facing an empty painting. The Fat Lady had gone on a nighttime visit and she was locked out of Gryffindor tower.

"Now what am I going to do?" she asked annoyed.

"That's your problem," said Ron really helpfully "We've got to go, we 3 re going to be late."

Hermione stood there for a few seconds and then making up her mind she hurried after them. "I'm coming with you,"

"You are not."

"Do you think I'm going to stand out here and wait for Filch to catch me?" she asked.

"If he finds all three of us I'll tell him the truth, that I was trying to stop you, and you can back me up." she added.

"You've got some nerve…" said Ron loudly.

"Shut up, both of you!" said Harry sharply. "I heard something. It was a sort of snuffling."

"Mrs. Norris." breathed Ron, squinting through the dark.

But it was just Neville. He was curled up on the floor, fast asleep, but jerked suddenly awake as they crept nearer.

"Thank goodness you found me! I've been out here for hours, I couldn't remember the new password to get in to bed."

"Keep your voice down, Neville. The password's 'Pig snout' but it won't help you now, the Fat Lady's gone off somewhere. How's your arm?" said Harry.

"Fine," said Neville, showing them. "Madam Pomfrey mended it in about a minute."

"Good… well, look, Neville, we've got to be somewhere, we'll see you later…" "Don't leave me!" said Neville, scrambling to his feet, "I don't want to stay here alone, the Bloody Baron's been past twice already."

Hermione wasn't exactly happy about Neville turning up since she already learnt from potions classes that being close to Neville didn't mean anything good. She hoped that maybe without a boiling potion next to them the boy won't give them away.

"If either of you get us caught, I'll never rest until I've learned that Curse of the Bogies Quirrell told us about, and used it on you."

Hermione opened her mouth, to tell him that he didn't have a chance because she knew the counter curse, but Harry hissed at her to be quiet and beckoned them all forward.

They flitted along corridors striped with bars of moonlight from the high windows. Hermione was sure they would run into a teacher or a prefect but everything was quiet. They sped up a staircase to the third floor and tiptoed toward the trophy room.

Malfoy and Crabbe were nowhere to be seen. Hermione wished that the boys would understand that the Slytherins probably won't turn up.

They edged along the walls, keeping their eyes on the doors at either end of the room.

"He's late, maybe he's chickened out," Ron whispered.

Then a noise in the next room made them jump. They heard someone speak -and it wasn't Malfoy.

"Sniff around, my sweet, they might be lurking in a corner." It was Filch speaking to Mrs. Norris. Harry waved madly at them to follow him and for once Hermione agreed; they scurried silently toward the door, away from Filch's voice. Neville's robes had barely whipped round the corner when they heard Filch enter the trophy room.

"They're in here somewhere," they heard him mutter, "probably hiding."

They began to creep down a long gallery full of suits of armor. They could hear Filch getting nearer. Neville suddenly let out a frightened squeak and broke into a run. He tripped, grabbed Ron around the waist, and the pair of them toppled right into a suit of armor. The clanging and crashing were enough to wake the whole castle.

"RUN!" Harry yelled, and Hermione followed him without any idea where they were or where they were going. Finally they found themselves near their Charms classroom.

"I think we've lost him," Harry panted

"I… told… you," Hermione gasped, clutching at the stitch in her chest, "I… told… you."

"We've got to get back to Gryffindor tower," said Ron, "quickly as possible."

"Malfoy tricked you," Hermione said to Harry. "You realize that, don't you. He was never going to meet you… Filch knew someone was going to be in the trophy room, Malfoy must have tipped him off"

"Let's go." said Harry avoiding to answer her.

However they hadn't gone more than a dozen paces when a doorknob rattled and something came shooting out of a classroom in front of them.

It was Peeves. He caught sight of them and gave a squeal of delight.

"Shut up, Peeves… please… you'll get us thrown out." Peeves cackled.

"Wandering around at midnight, Ickle Firsties. Tut, tut, tut. Naughty, naughty, you'll get caughty."

"Not if you don't give us away, Peeves, please." Said Hermione.

"Should tell Filch, I should," said Peeves in a saintly voice, but his eyes glittered wickedly. "It's for your own good, you know."

"Get out of the way," snapped Ron.

"STUDENTS OUT OF BED!" Peeves bellowed, "STUDENTS OUT OF BED DOWN THE CHARMS CORRIDOR"

Ducking under Peeves, they ran for their lives, right to the end of the corridor where they slammed into a door… and it was locked.

"This is it!" Ron moaned, "We're done for! This is the end!"

"Oh, move over" Hermione snarled trying to remember what she read in her charms book.

"Alohomora!" she whispered praying that it worked.

The lock clicked and the door swung open… they piled through it, shut it quickly, and pressed their ears against it, listening.

"Which way did they go, Peeves." Filch was saying. "Quick, tell me."

However Hermione absolutely forgot about Filch and Peeves as they entered. She knew from the first moment that something was wrong. The room really smelled as if dogs had been locked in there for weeks. She turned around and froze. She was looking straight into the eyes of a monstrous dog, a dog that filled the whole space between ceiling and floor. First she thought there were three of the dogs but then she realized that it was only one with three heads. She wanted to scream but no voice left her mouth.

"He thinks this door is locked" Harry whispered not realizing the danger "I think we'll be okay… get off, Neville!"

For Neville was tugging on the sleeve of Harry's bathrobe.

"What?" Harry turned around and for a moment he froze too.

The dog was standing quite still, all six eyes staring at them but Hermione was sure it wouldn't stay like that for long. They ran back down the corridor. Filch must have hurried off to look for them somewhere else, because they didn't see him anywhere, but Hermione couldn't care less, she just wanted to be back in her dormitory. They didn't stop running until they reached the portrait of the Fat Lady on the seventh floor.

"Where on earth have you all been?" she asked.

"Never mind that… pig snout, pig snout." panted Harry, and the portrait swung forward. They scrambled into the common room and collapsed, trembling, into armchairs.

They were al silent for a while.

"What do they think they're doing, keeping a thing like that locked up in a school?" said Ron finally. "If any dog needs exercise, that one does."

"You don't use your eyes, any of you, do you." she snapped as she got her breath back "Didn't you see what it was standing on?"

"The floor." Harry said stupidly "I wasn't looking at its feet, I was too busy with its heads."

"No, not the floor. It was standing on a trapdoor. It's obviously guarding something." She stood up, exhausted and furious knowing that she's not going to be able to sleep that night.

"I hope you're pleased with yourselves. We could all have been killed… or worse, expelled. Now, if you don't mind, I'm going to bed." She said and hurried to the girl's dormitories.

* * *

"Students were outside after curfew last night" said Snape angrily "I'm sure you're aware of it."

"You're quite right, my son." said Dumbledore.

"You mean, you knew about it and didn't stop them?"

"Oh I'm positive, that they learnt their lesson." said the old wizard with twinkling eyes.

"Who was it?" Snape snapped.

"Oh, I'm sure you already know who would be in such a rush to discover the secrets of the castle."

"Potter! I knew it" Snape was pacing up and down in front of Dumbledore. "He is quite mediocre, arrogant as his father, a determined rule-breaker, delighted to find himself famous, attention-seeking and impertinent…"

"You see what you expect to see, Severus." said Dumbledore "Other teachers report that the boy is modest, likable, and reasonably talented. Personally, I find him an engaging child."

"Keep an eye on Quirrell, won't you?" Snape was taken aback by the sudden change of topic.

"Sure. Is he after the stone?"

"I'm quite certain. By the way I wasn't suggesting that it was Mr Potter who would sneak out for knowledge over the castle during the night."

"Then who was it?"

"I'm sure you can guess who is so excited about learning about the magical world that she couldn't sleep.

* * *

**Please Review! It doesn't take more than 3 minutes and it makes me very happy!:)**


	8. Chapter 8

The troll is not mine either! Thank god!:)

Please leave a review and tell me what you think about this rule-breaker Hermione Granger.

Thanks for the reviews to **Isis78-13, Lost O'Fallon Girl and Burnedx2!**

* * *

Night Time Study and Troll in the Bathroom

Hermione was sure she would never admit it to anyone, but she really enjoyed last night. After going to bed she was actually thinking about getting up and sneaking out to the library for some night time reading but finally she decided against it. To the boys she didn't show the slightest interest in what lay underneath the dog and the trapdoor. And she simply tried to avoid them most of the time. She found that it was easier to concentrate on her studies if she didn't have to worry about other people.

Next night sleep however still avoided her so she decided to get out of bed and went down to the common room. All was quiet. She decided to look up the Vingardium Leviosa charm in her textbook and learn it when she remembered that she had left her charms book in the library. She quietly went back to her dorm and dressed without waking Parvati or Lavender. In a few minutes she was in front of the Fat Lady's portrait. She walked quietly always ready to hide in an empty classroom if Filch should turn up. But everything was quiet and after a while she started to relax.

Severus didn't really believe Dumbledore until now. Who else would break rules so early in the school year than Potter? Well, now he could see it. Miss Granger was walking through the second floor corridor. She was wearing black jeans and a violet T-shirt. _Probably she didn't get used to the robes yet_.

First he thought about just stopping her taking off points from Gryffindor and sending her back to bed, but he wondered if Dumbledore was right about her hunger for knowledge.

She seemed to be heading for the library. She lit one of the candles with a wave of her wand as she arrived and Severus quickly melted into the shadows. _Did she just use Incendio? That's impressive for a first year student who has just arrived to Hogwarts._

The girl grabbed a book from one of the tables and started to leaf through it then she seemed to have found what she was looking for and started to read.

Snape was shocked. He was surprised by the fact that someone would sneak out in the middle of the night for a book but he was even more shocked that she would start to read it before returning to her common room's safety.

Hermione couldn't stop herself from reading the chapter on the spot. The problem was her wand movement. The book said she had to swish and flick while she just pointed her wand at Neville the other day. She put the book down and pointed her wand at it.

"Vingardium Leviosa" she swished and flicked but nothing happened. She tried again, and again, and again but her book didn't move at all.

"You're saying it wrong." said a voice from behind her back and she jumped "It's Wing-gar-dium Levi-o-sa, make the 'gar' nice and long."

Her first instinct was being relieved when she realized that she wasn't caught by Filch but then she remembered how Professor Snape didn't pay any attention to her during any of the potions lessons and was no longer sure if she wouldn't be better off with Filch.

"Pro-professor… I was just…"

"You were just about to perform a Vingardium Leviosa spell. Just continue."

"But, I'm out of the common room…"

"Do you really need to state the obvious?"

Hermione didn't now what to say for that so she just pointed her wand at the charms book again and said "Vingardium Leviosa" with a long 'gar'.

The book slowly rose and floated in the air in front of her.

"I did it!" she said happily and then quickly shut her mouth before her Professor could have said something about stating the obvious again.

"I think it's time for you to return to your common room, follow me" said Snape.

Hermione followed trying to memorize all the shortcuts he led her through. She wanted to ask some questions but was a bit scared of breaking the silence.

"I guess you learnt the whole book of One Thousand Magical Herbs and Fungi by heart?" he finally asked but it was more like a statement than a question.

_Do you really need to state the obvious?_ Thought Hermione but didn't say it out loud just nodded.

Snape looked as if he was trying to hide a smile. _Can he read my mind?_ she thought a bit scared.

"I don't really understand some parts of it though." she said "I was wondering how the ingredients of wolfsbane go together. I thought that dried Mandrake leaves and salamander skin can explode when mixed and heated."

Snape looked at Hermione again with respect in his eyes. Wolfsbane was a really difficult potion exactly because of the explosiveness of the ingredients and he usually only taught it after OWLs.

"You have to keep the salamander skin in water for 24 hours before mixing it with the Mandrake leaves." he explained secretly happy that for once a student was actually interested in his subject.

"That's it?" she sounded kind of disappointed.

"Not exactly. You can read about the collect way of making Wolfsbane in "Complex and Tricky Potions" by Harwerd Bubbles"

The girl turned around as if she wanted to head back to the library to get the book at once but then she thought better of it and continued walking beside him quietly.

They reached the Fat Lady's portrait.

"Good night, professor! And thank you for your help."

"Good night, Miss Granger!" he said and she already turned away when he remembered that he was the head of Slytherin house and she was a rule-breaking little Gryffindor.

"And fifteen points from Gryffindor for being outside after curfew." he added.

She froze for half a second but then she climbed through the portrait without looking back. He was staring at the Fat Lady for a minute the same way as so many years ago when he had tried to apologize to Lily. But this time he didn't do anything wrong, did he? He shook his head and slowly he headed back to the library.

Hermione was really angry with herself. _Why didn't I just grab the book and come back here? _She kept asking herself as she sat next to the fire in the common room. The fact that she lost fifteen points to Gryffindor made her extremely angry especially when she realized that she left her book in the library yet again. She decided against trying to get it for a second time and went back to her dormitory.

There were two books on her bed. One was her Charms book and the other one was a big leather-covered book with old brownish pages. "Complex and Tricky Potions" she read the title.

"Taking away fifteen points was still unfair." she muttered, but couldn't really be angry any longer. She opened the book and it wasn't until Lavender wished her good morning that she stopped reading.

She only felt how exhausted she was after getting out of bed. She never needed much sleep but she wasn't used to not sleeping two nights in a row.

"Well, it's true," she heard Harry and Ron laughing as she was heading down to the Great Hall for breakfast. "If he hadn't stolen Neville's Remembrall I wouldn't be on the team..."

It wasn't difficult to find out what they were talking about.

"So I suppose you think that's a reward for breaking rules." she said angrily.

"I thought you weren't speaking to us." said Harry.

"Yes, don't stop now." said Ron, "it's doing us so much good."

Hermione completely stopped talking to them after that. Oliver tried to talk to her a few times but she avoided him too. She felt betrayed after finding out that he had a girlfriend. It wasn't his fault of course, and Hermione knew that he was just trying to be nice but didn't feel like talking to him and he eventually gave up. As a result she was completely alone. She didn't mind. She read books starting with the potions book she got from Professor Snape. She found it really exciting. The potions described in it were clearly really advanced and she couldn't wait to try some of them herself.

* * *

The days passed quickly and she could hardly believe that she had been in Hogwarts for two months. On Halloween morning she woke to the delicious smell of baking pumpkin wafting through the corridors.

Professor Flitwick announced in Charms that he thought they were ready to start making objects fly which didn't exactly cheer Hermione up since she already knew that quite well. Professor Flitwick put the class into pairs to practice. Hermione was supposed to work with Ron which made it pretty difficult for her to ignore him.

"Now, don't forget that nice wrist movement we've been practicing!" squeaked Professor Flitwick "Swish and flick, remember, swish and flick. And saying the magic words properly is very important, too… never forget Wizard Baruffio, who said 's' instead of 'f' and found himself on the floor with a buffalo on his chest."

"Vingardium Leviosa!" Ron shouted, waving his long arms like a windmill.

"You're saying it wrong," Hermione repeated Snape word by word "It's Wing-gar-dium Levi-o-sa, make the 'gar' nice and long."

"You do it, then, if you're so clever," Ron snarled.

"Vingardium Leviosa!" said Hermione without a doubt that she can make the feather in front of them fly easily.

It rose off the desk and hovered about four feet above her head.

"Oh, well done!" cried Professor Flitwick, clapping. "Everyone see here, Miss Granger's done it!"

She tried to explain the proper way of saying the spell to Ron several times till the end of the lesson but he pretended to be completely deaf and Hermione finally gave up. She was really fed up with him. She just wanted to help.

_Why did everything go wrong yet again?_

"It's no wonder no one can stand her," she heard Ron say to Harry as they left the classroom "she's a nightmare, honestly."

She knocked into Harry as she hurried past him trying to fight back tears without success.

Their next lesson was Transfiguration. She just didn't feel up for it. She ran to the bathroom and really started crying.

* * *

Professor Quirrell came sprinting into the hall, his turban askew and terror on his face. He looked at the teachers while hurrying towards the staff table. Snape only managed to catch his eyes for a second put he could tell that Quirrell was up to something.

"Troll… in the dungeons… thought you ought to know." Said Quirrell and then sank to the floor in a dead faint. There was an uproar as the students started to jump up panicked. It took several purple firecrackers exploding from the end of Albus' wand to bring silence.

"Prefects" the Headmaster rumbled "lead your Houses back to the dormitories immediately!"

Snape caught Dumbledore's eyes and nodded meaningfully towards Quirrell. He could tell that the old wizard agreed. He quickly left the Great Hall and hurried towards the third floor. For a second he thought that he saw movements behind a statue but he was sure that Quirrell must be behind him so he didn't check it out.

Finally he stopped at the entrance of the forbidden corridor hiding behind a statue waiting for Quirrell to turn up. After a few minutes he arrived he muttered Alohomora and was about to open the door.

"Well, well. I thought as Defense Against the Dark Arts professor it would be your job to help getting rid of the troll." said Snape stepping out from behind the statue.

"Oh, Severus, I was just…"

"Sneaking up to the third floor corridor while the staff is occupied with the troll?"

"No… how can you say that? I was just looking for you."

"For me?" Snape sneered "My first year students would come up with better excuse."

"It's not an excuse. Students are missing. We need to find them before they run into the troll."

At that moment a terrified scream came from the second floor.

"Miss Granger? Oh, God! Follow me!" Snape yelled at Quirrell.

* * *

She could have been there for minutes or hours she couldn't tell. She was sure that it was past lunch time because she was starting to get hungry. She started towards the door and froze as she looked at the horrible sight in front of her.

It was sanding next to the door twelve feet tall, its skin a dull, granite gray, its great lumpy body like a boulder with its small bald head perched on top like a coconut. It had short legs thick as tree trunks with flat, horny feet. The smell coming from it was incredible. It was holding a huge wooden club, which dragged along the floor because its arms were so long.

Hermione recognized it from her defense against the dark arts book. It was a troll. Probably a mountain troll. She had no idea how it had managed to get in to Hogwarts.

The troll seemed to realize that she was there and slowly walked towards her. She ran towards the door but before she could reach it someone shut it from the outside and the lock clicked.

She started to scream hoping that someone would hear her while running to the opposite wall. The troll was advancing on her, knocking the sinks off the walls as it went when the door opened again. Harry and Ron were in the girls bathroom in a second. This would have been funny or annoying in any other situation, but this time Hermione couldn't help feeling happy to see them.

"Confuse it!" Harry yelled and threw a tap against the wall.

The troll stopped a few feet from Hermione. It lumbered around, blinking stupidly, to see what had made the noise. Its mean little eyes saw Harry. It hesitated, then it turned towards him.

"Oy, pea-brain!" yelled Ron from the other side of the chamber, and he threw a metal pipe at it. The troll didn't even seem to notice the pipe hitting its shoulder, but it heard the yell and paused again, turning towards Ron instead.

"Come on, run, run!" Hermione heard Harry yelling as he was trying to pull her towards the door, but she couldn't move. She was exhausted and scared to death.

The shouting and the echoes seemed to be driving the troll berserk. It roared again and started toward Ron, who was nearest and had no way to escape.

Harry then did something that Hermione would have never even dreamed of. He took a great running jump and fastened his arms around the troll's neck from behind and stick his wand straight up one of the troll's nostrils.

Howling with pain, the troll twisted and flailed its club, with Harry clinging on for dear life; any second, the troll was going to rip him off or catch him a terrible blow with the club.

Then Ron did something that shocked Hermione even more. He pulled out his wand and cried "Vingardium Leviosa!"

The club flew suddenly out of the troll's hand, rose high, high up into the air, turned slowly over and dropped, with a sickening crack, onto its owner's head. The troll swayed on the spot and then fell flat on its face, with a thud that made the whole room tremble.

Harry seemed to be ok as he got to his feet. Ron was standing there with his wand still raised, staring at what he had done looking just as surprised as Hermione felt.

Finally Hermione had to ask: "Is it… dead?"

"I don't think so." said Harry, I think it's just been knocked out." He bent down and pulled his wand out of the troll's nose.

"Urgh… troll boogers." He said.

A sudden slamming and loud footsteps made the three of them look up.

They hadn't realized what a racket they had been making, but of course, someone downstairs must have heard the crashes and the troll's roars. A moment later, Professor McGonagall had come bursting into the room, closely followed by Snape, with Quirrell bringing up the rear. Quirrell took one look at the troll, let out a faint whimper, and sat quickly down on a toilet, clutching his heart.

Snape bent over the troll. Professor McGonagall was looking at Ron and Harry. Harry had never seen her look so angry. Her lips were white.

For a second Hermione thought about sneaking out. Nobody seemed to notice her after all. But then she remembered that no matter how annoying the boys were and no matter how much she hated them a few minutes ago they saved her life. She owned them.

"What on earth were you thinking of?" said Professor McGonagall, with cold fury in her voice. "You're lucky you weren't killed. Why aren't you in your dormitory?"

"Please, Professor McGonagall… they were looking for me." Hermione said in a small voice while getting to her feat.

"Miss Granger!" she could see the shock on not only Professor McGonagall's but Snape's face.

"I went looking for the troll because I… I thought I could deal with it on my own… you know, because I've read all about them."

Ron dropped his wand and was gaping at her. She continued quickly so that the teachers would not realize how surprised the boys were.

"If they hadn't found me, I'd be dead now. Harry stuck his wand up its nose and Ron knocked it out with its own club. They didn't have time to come and fetch anyone. It was about to finish me off when they arrived."

At last Harry and Ron tried to look as though this story wasn't new to them.

"Well… in that case..." said Professor McGonagall, staring at the three of them, "Miss Granger, you foolish girl, how could you think of tackling a mountain troll on your own?"Hermione hung her head.

"Miss Granger, five points will be taken from Gryffindor for this," said Professor McGonagall. "I'm very disappointed in you. If you're not hurt at all, you'd better get off to Gryffindor tower. Students are finishing the feast in their houses."

Hermione left without a word but for a second he caught Snape's questioning eyes. Snape nodded and stared at Harry angrily. Hermione had the feeling that he could read minds once again.

She walked quickly to the Gryffindor Common Room. She reached the portrait of the Fat Lady and said "Pig snout,"

The common room was packed and noisy. Everyone was eating the food that had been sent up. She was starving but she didn't feel like joining the crowd around the tables. She stood alone by the door waiting for Harry and Ron. They finally returned. There was an awkward silence for a minute than she said thanks quietly not looking at them. They said "Thanks" too. Then they all hurried off to get plates together.

Hermione had some delicious salmon for dinner with corn and smashed potato. She was sitting between Ron and Harry who were laughing at their adventure with the troll which when sitting safely in the common room actually seemed very funny. She went to bed late again but this time she felt really happy. The sorting hat was right after all. It took a long time but she managed to make some friends.

* * *

Pease review! It would be nice to know that people actually read the story!


	9. Chapter 9

I'm bored of writing that I'm not JKR. So I'll just say I am. Does it make a difference? Well I can't feel it.

Thanks for the reviews to **Burnedx2, Anon, Isis78-13, LadyNorth76 **and** Sarah!**

And to all SSHG fans I would suggest reading **Lost O'Fallon Girl's Untitled** story! It seems really exciting so far!

* * *

Blue Flames and Brooms

As they entered November, the weather turned very cold. The mountains around the school became icy gray and the lake like chilled steel. Every morning the ground was covered in frost

The Quidditch season had begun and the first match was coming up. After a few flying lessons Hermione was quite sure that Quidditch was not her sport but she felt that she must watch at least the first game. Especially since Harry played seeker.

Quidditch was really important for her friend. Even too important in her opinion. She often had to argue with them so that they don't abandon their homework. She helped a lot to the boys and even found a great book on Quidditch for Harry. It was titled Quidditch Through the Ages and in Hermione's opinion it was terribly dull but Harry really liked it and took it everywhere with him.

Hermione had become a bit more relaxed about breaking rules but decided against any more nighttime walks. The day before Harry's first Quidditch match the three of them were out in the freezing courtyard during break, and she had conjured them up a bright blue fire that could be carried around in a jam jar.

They were standing with their backs to it, getting warm, when Snape crossed the yard. Hermione couldn't help noticing that Snape was limping. They moved closer together to block the fire from view; they were sure it wouldn't be allowed. Unfortunately, something about their guilty faces caught Snape's eye.

* * *

Snape was returning from the forbidden forest with two small bottles of syrup of hellebore safely hidden in his pocked. He saw Miss Granger, Potter and Weasley talking together. He limped over to the trio. He could tell that they were hiding a blue flamed fire behind their backs. He was sure that only Hermione could have charmed it from the three so he looked for something else.

"What's that you've got there, Potter?" he asked. It was some kind of library book.

"Library books are not to be taken outside the school." he said. "Give it to me. Five points from Gryffindor."

He looked at the book as he limped away. It was a Quidditch book. _Potter! Just like his father! Why would he read anything but Quidditch books?_

He hurried back to the dungeons and started brewing a powerful healing potion using the collected hellebore syrup.

Finally the potion was the correct orange color. He bottled the potion and headed to the staff room with it. He was never good with heeling charms and he needed a bandage charm after applying the potion. As Poppy was out for some healing potion supplies he decided to find Filius and ask him for help with a bandage charm.

However when he entered to the staff room only Filch was there cleaning.

"Have you seen, Filius?

"He left with Professor Sprout and Professor McGonagall about an hour ago. They went down to Hogsmeade."

Snape was momentarily stopped by the news. _Maybe I should go to Dumbledore._ he thought. _Bu running to the headmaster for help… that would be really childish_.

"Do you have some bandages, Argus?" he asked.

"Yes, yes I'll get them."

"Where are they?"

"In my office"

"Invito Bandages!" he said with a wave of his wand and in a few seconds the bandages zoomed in through a slightly open window. He handed them to Filch and pulled up his robes his left legs was really bloody and mangled. He poured the orange potion on it and tried not to cry out as the potion touched the wound. Filch started to give him the bandages.

"Blasted thing" Snape said still gritting his teeth "How are you supposed to keep your eyes on all three heads at once?"

The door moved.

"POTTER!" Snape was furious. He quickly dropped his robe to hide his leg but it was too late. As the material touched the wound he winced.

"I just wondered if I could have my book back." he heard the Potter mutter.

"GET OUT! OUT!" he yelled. He didn't need to say it twice, the boy was gone.

* * *

By eleven o'clock the whole school seemed to be out in the stands around the Quidditch pitch. Snape wasn't half as interested in the game as he should have been considering that Slytherin was playing. He would have much rather stayed in his Quarters and take a nap. After all even Quirrell can't be so stupid to attempt something when surrounded by the whole staff.

Fifteen brooms rose up, high, high into the air as the game started.

"And the Quaffle is taken immediately by Angelina Johnson of Gryffindor… what an excellent Chaser that girl is, and rather attractive, too…"

_Great a lovesick Gryffindor is doing the commentary for the match. Just what I needed._

"JORDAN!" yelled Minerva.

"Sorry, Professor."

"And she's really belting along up there, a neat pass to Alicia Spinnet, a good find of Oliver Wood's, last year only a reserve… back to Johnson and… no, the Slytherins have taken the Quaffle,"

_Yes Mr Jordan! Here we go._

Slytherin Captain Marcus Flint gains the Quaffle and off he goes… Flint flying like an eagle up there…"

_He'd better be good at something. If he doesn't start studying harder he will definitely fail potions NEWTs._

He's going to sc… no, stopped by an excellent move by Gryffindor Keeper Wood and the Gryffindors take the Quaffle… that's Chaser Katie Bell of Gryffindor there, nice dive around Flint, off up the field and… OUCH - that must have hurt, hit in the back of the head by a Bludger… Quaffle taken by the Slytherins… that's Adrian Pucey speeding off toward the goal posts, but he's blocked by a second Bludger… sent his way by Fred or George Weasley, can't tell which… nice play by the Gryffindor Beater, anyway, and Johnson back in possession of the Quaffle, a clear field ahead and off she goes… she's really flying… dodges a speeding Bludger… the goal posts are ahead… come on, now, Angelina… Keeper Bletchley dives… misses… GRYFFINDORS SCORE!"

_That's what I need! Gryffindor victory._ He glanced at the cheering McGonagall._ Don't even dream of it. I want to have the cup at the end of the year!_

Snape found the game boring and after a while he didn't really care about the goals. Finally the snitch turned up. Potter was about to catch it but Flint blocked him in a very Slytherin way.

_Nice job, Mr Flint._

He sneered at Minerva but she was trying to stop Jordan from taking sides._ Sure, like that's gonna happen._

The game went on and Snape hoped that it would end soon. Then he realized that something was wrong. Potter's broom gave a sudden, frightening lurch. Then the broom turned suddenly. What was wrong? The boy could fly. He actually flew really well but of course he would never admit that. It was as though the broom was trying to buck him off. Lee was still commentating. Nobody seemed to realize what was happening. _Why am I not surprised? After all it's my job to protect the golden boy if it turns out that he can't even fly on a broom._

Then it stuck him. _Quirrell! He is jinxing the broom._

There was no time to run for Dumbledore now. He concentrated on the broom and started to mutter a counter jinx praying that it worked.

Suddenly Quirrell's jinx came to an end. Potter climbed back on his broom and Snape relaxed for a few seconds before he realized that his robe was on fire._ Charmed blue flames? Where have I seen them lately? Miss Granger!_

He put the fire off with a quick spell and looked at the Gryffindor stands. He saw Miss Granger returning to her friends.

"I've got the Snitch!" he heard Potter shout and for just a second he thought he should have let him fall.

_Great I've just helped Potter's son to victory while one of his friends set my robes on fire. I wonder what that was about. I think I need to talk to Miss Granger. She has too many Slytherin qualities for her own good._


	10. Chapter 10

Nope, not JKR! But I own a wand. It's plastic without a core and is pretty useless but it's still mine.

Thanks for the reviews to **Isis78-13, Lost O'Fallon Girl, Burnedx2, iPod reader, ****usethecuffs**!

* * *

Potions and Holidays

Christmas was coming. Everyone could feel it in the air. The students were paying less attention. Of course they learnt quickly that daydreaming about Christmas cookies or presents is not a good idea during Potions class. Finally one morning in mid-December, Hogwarts woke to find itself covered in several feet of snow. Severus was already out before most of the students even woke up. He loved winter. And despite what he caught from the seventh year Gryffindors' conversation about him being the Grinch he really liked Christmas. He couldn't wait for the holidays. The drafty corridors had become icy and a bitter wind rattled the windows in the classrooms. He had to use a warming charm on his robes so that he wouldn't freeze in his own classroom in the dungeons. Yet he was in a good mood. The wound on his leg slowly healed and Quirrell didn't dare to go anywhere near Harry since the Quidditch match.

One morning as he entered the Potions classroom he found that Hermione Granger was already there.

She was shivering and holding his copy of Complex and Tricky Potions.

"Good morning, Miss Granger! How may I help you?" _What's wrong with me? It must be the closeness of the Holidays. I'm being all nice. What's gonna happen to your reputation? Also I should be yelling at her for setting my robes on fire telling her that at least she should attack the person who tries to harm her friend, not the one trying to protect him. _

"Good morning, Professor! This morning I went to the library to return Complex and Tricky Potions but Madam Prince told me that she's never seen this book. I thought…"

He reached for the book and she stopped in midsentence clearly her Gryffindor bravery is gone in the presence of the head of Slytherin house.

"How did you like it?"

"It was really entertaining and it answered a lot of questions but…"

"But?"

"But I have a lot of new questions now."

"I would be surprised if you ever ran out of questions. However I think it's my turn to ask some questions. Let's see… How do you make sure not to explode your cauldron when making Wolfsbane?"

"By putting the salamander skin and the mandrake roots in water for 24 hours. The water has to come from a natural fountain collected at midnight during full moon."

"What are the ingredients of Polyjuice Potion?"

12 lacewing flies that have been stewed for 21 days, 1 ounce of crude Antimony, 4 leeches that have been unsucculated, 16 scruples of fluxweed that was picked at full moon, 3 drachms of pulverised Sal Ammoniac, Pulverised blades of knotgrass, 1 pinch of powdered horn of a Bicorn that has been lunar extracted,

filings and rasplings of Saltpeter, Mercury and Mars, shredded dried skin of a Boomslang and extract of The-Transfigured-Being-To-Be" she said in one breath quickly.

"The book only wrote about the ingredients though. It didn't say how to make the potion."

"I wouldn't have given it to you if it had. Polyjuice is a dangerous and possibly dark potion."

"Possibly dark?"

"Depending on the intent of the user."

"Oh, that's reasonable. I'd still love to try to brew it though."

"You'd have to read a lot of books before I'd let you try it." said Snape

"Which books?" seeing her eager expression he could hardly suppress a smile.

"Darkness in Light" he said after a second of thinking.

"Can I find that in the library?"

"Only in the restricted section."

"I'd need a teacher's note for checking out a book from the restricted section." she said looking at Snape expectantly.

"You'd definitely need one." said Snape.

"However…" he flicked his wand and an enormous old book zoomed in from his Private Quarters "I happen to have a copy of my own."

"Thank you." said Hermione walked back to her desk and started reading without wasting any time.

Snape was smiling at her completely forgetting about his reputation and scaring the entering Neville Longbottom to death. He could see in the boy's mind easily that he thought Snape was a vampire about to drink Hermione's blood. Why else would he smile at her like that?

Snape turned away and snickered. Longbottom had some really wild imagination. If only his potions skills were as great too.

Slowly the students arrived to the class. They were all shivering in the cold and once they started making their potions they kept as close as possible to their hot cauldrons.

"I do feel so sorry," said Draco "for all those people who have to stay at Hogwarts for Christmas because they're not wanted at home."

He was clearly trying to get to Potter but the boy ignored him. Snape remembered hearing nearly exactly the same sentence from James Potter. Of course he had hexed Potter gaining a week's detention for it from Slughorn. This Potter didn't even talk back to Draco. _Maybe he isn't so much like his father after all. What the? Oh my got, Snape, you're all too nice with Christmas coming up. _

Of course Potter was just like his father as it turned out after the lesson. Hardly had he left the classroom when he found that Weasley was diving at Draco and Potter was pulling out his wand.

"WEASLEY!"

"He was provoked, Professor Snape," said Hagrid, sticking his huge hairy face out from behind a Christmas tree he was taking to the Great Hall. "Malfoy was insultin' his family."

"Be that as it may, fighting is against Hogwarts rules, Hagrid," said Snape silkily.

"Five points from Gryffindor, Weasley, and be grateful it isn't more." he added lookin at Potter who was trying to hide his wand quickly. "Move along, all of you."

* * *

"How many days you got left until yer holidays?" Hagrid asked as the were looking at the decorations in the Great Hall.

"Just one," said Hermione cheerfully "And that reminds me… Harry, Ron, we've got half an hour before lunch, we should be in the library."

"Oh yeah, you're right," said Ron,

"The library?" said Hagrid, following them out of the hall. "Just before the holidays? Bit keen, aren't yeh?"

"Oh, we're not working," Harry told him brightly. "Ever since you mentioned Nicolas Flamel we've been trying to find out who he is."

"You what?" Hagrid looked shocked. "Listen here… I've told yeh… drop it. It's nothin' to you what that dog's guardin'."

"We just want to know who Nicolas Flamel is, that's all," said Hermione.

"Unless you'd like to tell us and save us the trouble." Harry added. "We must've been through hundreds of books already and we can't find him anywhere… just give us a hint… I know I've read his name somewhere."

"I'm sayin' nothing" said Hagrid flatly.

"Just have to find out for ourselves, then," said Ron, and they left for the Library.

They had indeed been searching books for Flamel's name ever since Hagrid had let it slip after the first Quidditch match. They were quite sure that Snape was trying to steal whatever the three headed dog was guarding. _But then why is he so nice to me?_ Hermione wondered.

The trouble was, it was very hard to know where to begin, not knowing what Flamel might have done to get himself into a book. He wasn't in Great Wizards of the Twentieth Century, or Notable Magical Names of Our Time; he was missing, too, from Important Modern Magical Discoveries, and A Study of Recent Developments in Wizardry. And then, of course, there was the sheer size of the library; tens of thousands of books; thousands of shelves; hundreds of narrow rows.

Hermione took out a list of subjects and titles she had decided to search and worked her way through them. Ron to her annoyance just strode off down a row of books and started pulling them off the shelves at random. Harry wandered over to the Restricted Section all the time. Hermione had been wondering for a while if Flamel wasn't somewhere in there but she was sure they wouldn't get a teacher's note anyway.

Once again they left the library without any result.

"You will keep looking while I'm away, won't you?" said Hermione. "And send me an owl if you find anything."

"And you could ask your parents if they know who Flamel is," said Ron.

"It'd be safe to ask them."

"Very safe, as they're both dentists," said Hermione.

* * *

Hermione sit in a cabin with Neville on the way home. She was really excited about meeting her parents. She kept writing to them about Hogwarts and they answered each time. Hermione's father even started reading Wizarding books. He really loved History and was really excited to get to know the wizarding version of some important historic events. Her mum was disappointed to hear that Hermione was not allowed to use magic at home. Hermione was really happy that they accepted her being a witch absolutely. Yet she was a bit worried. She didn't tell anything to her parents about the troll or Fluffy or their suspicion about Snape. She didn't want to scare them. She felt bad about it. She had never kept secrets from her father before. They had been really close and Hermione could share everything with him. She hoped that it was still the same way.

"What are you so worried about?" asked Neville.

"I don't know how it's going to be…" she trailed off.

"How what's going to be?"

"Meeting my parents."

Neville didn't answer.

"My parents are muggles, and they are really nice and understanding, but it's still going to be awkward at first."

"Uh-huh" said Neville.

"I never really asked, and you don't have to tell me if you don't want to, but why is it that you live with your grandma?"

Neville seemed to hesitate.

"It's ok, it's none of my business I guess."

"No, I just don't know how to say this. You know about the war eleven years ago?"

Hermione nodded.

"Of course you know" said Neville nodding. All of a sudden he looked a lot older and even wiser, like someone who has seen a lot in his life "Well, You-know-who's followers attacked my parents. That's why I live with my grandma."

"I'm so sorry, Neville"

Neville didn't look at her.

"I'll go, so that you can change into muggle clothes" said Hermione "I promised to say goodbye to Pravati anyway.

"Ok, thanks." Neville muttered still not looking at her.

* * *

"Hermione" her mum ran to her and hugged her "I'm so glad you're at home."

"I'm happy to see you too mum." she whispered feeling that her voice might crack if she speaks any louder.

Once her mum released her she ran to her father.

"Dad!" she couldn't say anything more as she hugged him.

"I missed you, Hermi" Robert said

"Dad, I'd like to tell you something…"

Her dad was reading her copy of Hogwarts, a History.

"Yes, Hermi?" Robert looked up expectantly.

"Do you like it?" asked Hermione nodding towards the book.

"Yes, I wish I could see the castle too. But you wanted to tell me something."

"Yes, I didn't tell you everything in my letters…"

She told her dad about seeing the three headed dog, and her night time walk to the library, the troll in the castle, and how they suspected that Professor Snape was trying to get past the dog. She even talked about her suspicion of how Snape tried to shake Harry off his broom.

"You see, what's my problem? He is really mean to most of the students except for his own house and he especially hates Harry. On the other hand he gives me books and is quite nice to me. But on the other hand he was at the forbidden corridor on Halloween and he was jinxing the broom, but on the other hand somehow I feel that I should trust him. I don't know if I should ask for help from Professor McGonagall or the headmaster."

"Are you quite sure that he was bitten by that three-headed monster?"

"Yes, Harry overheard him saying it."

"Are you sure that he was the one jinxing the broom? He could have been saying a counter jinx."

"That's an option of course. But what was he doing at the forbidden corridor?"

"I don't know, Hermi. But I'd be happy if you tried to stay out of this. I know hardly anything about Professor Snape, but he seems to be a really private man. He could have plenty of reasons to be at that corridor."

Hermione wasn't pleased with the answers at all. _Snape might have been saying a counter jinx but then who was jinxing the broom?_ She tried to remember if she saw anyone else who could be suspicious through the binocular but couldn't think of anybody. _And if Snape had indeed been trying to save Harry then why did the attacker stop when she set Snape's robes on fire?_ She felt desperate. She needed answers but in this situation her beloved books didn't help her. _Maybe if I found out who Nicholas Flamel is._

"Dad, have you ever heard of Nicholas Flamel?"

"No, Hermi, is he a wizard?"

"I don't know I just heard the name somewhere."_ What if he was a muggle and we are checking the wrong books? I have to go to a muggle library tomorrow. But what would Dumbledore have to do with a muggle?_

Hermione spent the next few days with researching in the muggle library without result. She even asked her mum if she had heard the name Flamel but she didn't either.

On Christmas eve the three of them had dinner together like always. After dinner they went to the living-room. The Christmas tree was decorated and shining in the corner with nicely wrapped presents under it. They always opened the presents on Christmas eve as a family tradition. Hermione bought a nice spell-check pen for her dad with his name graved in it and an ever warm enchanted pullover. For her mum she gave a similar pullover and a beautiful dress that she bought in Madame Malkin's. Her mum loved going to theatre with her friends and she always dressed out very nicely.

She got a bunch of books and she could tell that her father bought them at Diagon alley at once because the covers were moving. She also got a golden necklace with a small heart on it. It could be opened and on the inside was a photo of them again moving. Hermione was about ten on it and was hugging her parents after arriving home from a summer camp.

"Thank you! I really love it!" she said very touched.

The next morning she was surprised to find presents next to her bed. She got a Remembrall and some sugar quills from Neville.

_I know you don't really need it because you can always keep everything in mind but my granny insisted that it comes in handy even for you._

_Merry Christmas,_

_Neville_

Hermione smiled as she read Neville's card and took the Remembrall in her hand. It didn't turn red. She smiled happily.

The other present was from Harry. He bought her some wonderful quills and her favorite muggle chocolate: Ferrero Rose.

* * *

She had a lot of fun during the holiday. She was happy to realize that she was just as close to her parents as ever before. She was talking about both muggle and wizarding books with his father and she went to the theatre with her mother to watch a funny show titled "Noises Off". She was laughing so much that tears appeared in her eyes and felt that even without magic the actors and actresses managed to put together something magical. But even the best things come to an end eventually. And soon she found herself standing on Platform 9 and ¾. She saw Wood and Angelina waving at her from the train.

"Hey, Hermione, why don't you join us?"

* * *

Yeah, I know this is a stupid place to leave it but I don't feel like continuing right now and I wanted to post a chapter today. Tomorrow is back to school, so the chapters are gonna come slower.

**Reviews are appreciated!**


	11. Chapter 11

I'm still not JKR. And I'm not going to be any time soon.

Thank you for the reviews to **Lost O'Fallon Girl, yapyap, and Isis78-13.**

I'd suggest everyone a fanfic I've just came across: **I Wish** written by **yapyap**. It's one chapter and is sad but a really great Hermione & Severus story.

By the way if anyone can suggest me good stories of their own, just live the title in a review! I love to read my readers stories!:)

* * *

The Book of the Referee

Hardly had Hermione arrived back when the boys told her that Harry was out breaking rules three nights in a row and didn't even find out who Nicholas Flamel was. That was just annoying. Hermione only sneaked out at once yet she got caught and Harry got away with it.

"If Filch has caught you!" she said angrily to Harry. _Or Professor Snape? The way he caught me. Somehow I don't think that you would have gotten away with 15 points lost from Gryffindor._ she thought.

Hermione was finding it more and more difficult to keep searching for Flamel. She went through hundreds of books and didn't once came across the name. However Harry still insisted that he had seen the name somewhere before.

Hermione also wondered what would happen if she visited the Mirror of Erised. She really wanted to know about Nicolas Flamal yet she was sure that wasn't her greatest wish. She couldn't tell what the mirror would show to her.

* * *

They had almost given up hope of ever finding Flamel in a library book, even though Harry was still sure he'd read the name somewhere. One evening Hermione and Ron was sitting together in Gryffindor common room while their friend was at Quidditch practice. Hermione soon found out that all her books and knowledge didn't help when playing chess against Ron. She decided to be really stubborn about it and kept asking for new game. Just as Ron was about to take off Hermione's knight Harry arrived back.

"Don't talk to me for a moment," said Ron while Hermione looked up to greet Harry but his face was very white and worried.

"I need to concen…" Ron seemed to have realized how bad Harry looked too because he he asked "What's the matter with you. You look terrible."

"Snape is the referee. He is going to referee our next quidditch match." Harry said quietly so that no one else would hear.

"Don't play," said Hermione at once.

"Say you're ill," said Ron.

"Pretend to break your leg," Hermione suggested.

"Really break your leg," said Ron.

_What? Ron, you're so crazy. This is serious. Of course if I say that out loud that would only lead to an argument._

"I can't," said Harry. _Guess Ron is not the only crazy one here. Now comes a speech about the importance of Quidditch._ "There isn't a reserve Seeker. If I back out, Gryffindor can't play at all."

_I knew he would say something like that. _She was about to argue but at that moment Neville toppled into the common room. How he had managed to climb through the portrait hole was anyone's guess, because his legs had been stuck together with what Hermione recognized at once as the Leg-Locker Curse

_Oh, no! _Hermione leapt up and performed the counter curse. Neville's legs sprang apart and he got to his feet, trembling.

"What happened?" Hermione asked him, leading him over to sit with Harry and Ron.

"Malfoy," said Neville shakily. "I met him outside the library. He said he'd been looking for someone to practice that on."

"Go to Professor McGonagall!" Hermione urged Neville angrily. "Report him!"

But Neville just shook his head and mumbled "I don't want more trouble,"

"You've got to stand up to him, Neville!" said Ron. "He's used to walking all over people, but that's no reason to lie down in front of him and make it easier."

"There's no need to tell me I'm not brave enough to be in Gryffindor, Malfoy's already done that," Neville choked out.

Harry gave a Chocolate Frog to Neville, who looked as though he might cry.

"You're worth twelve of Malfoy," he said. "The Sorting Hat chose you for Gryffindor, didn't it. And where's Malfoy? In stinking Slytherin."

That seemed to work and cheer Neville up a bit. Hermione smiled happily.

"Thanks, Harry... I think I'll go to bed... Do you want the card? You collect them, don't you?"

"Dumbledore again," Harry said looking at the card "He was the first one I ever…" he trailed off and Hermione turned back to their chess game.

"I've found him!" Harry whispered. Hermione looked up trying to figure out who he was talking about. "I've found Flamel! I told you I'd read the name somewhere before, I read it on the train coming here… listen to this: Dumbledore is particularly famous for his defeat of the dark wizard Grindelwald in 1945, for the discovery of the twelve uses of dragon's blood, and his work on alchemy with his partner, Nicolas Flamel!"

Hermione jumped to her feet.

"Stay there!" she said, and she sprinted up the stairs to her dormitory. She read about alchemy a bit but then she didn't continue reading the book because she started searching for Flamel. Probably she was only a few pages from the answer. It was truly annoying and even more disturbing. If Snape was after whatever the dog guarded why did he gave her this book? She pushed the thought aside and hurried back to the boys.

"I never thought to look in here!" she whispered then after a second continued. "I got this out of the library weeks ago for a bit of light reading." she lied smoothly.

"Light?" said Ron

"Oh just be quiet, I need to find something." and she started flicking frantically through the pages.

At last she found what she was looking for. "I knew it! I knew it!"

"Are we allowed to speak yet?" said Ron grumpily. Hermione ignored him.

"Nicolas Flamel," she whispered "is the only known maker of the Sorcerer's Stone!" The boys kept looking at her as if she had grown a second head.

"The what?" said Harry and Ron.

"Oh, honestly, don't you two read? Look… read that, there." She pushed the book toward them, and they read:

"The ancient study of alchemy is concerned with making the Sorcerer's Stone, a

legendary substance with astonishing powers. The stone will transform any metal into pure gold. It also produces the Elixir of Life, which will make the drinker immortal. There have been many reports of the Sorcerer's Stone over the centuries, but the only Stone currently in existence belongs to Mr. Nicolas Flamel, the noted alchemist and opera lover. Mr. Flamel, who celebrated his six hundred and sixty-fifth birthday last year, enjoys a quiet life in Devon with his wife, Perenelle (six hundred and fifty-eight).

"See." said Hermione, when Harry and Ron had finished. "The dog must be guarding Flamel's Sorcerer's Stone! I bet he asked Dumbledore to keep it safe for him, because they're friends and he knew someone was after it, that's why he wanted the Stone moved out of Gringotts!"

"A stone that makes gold and stops you from ever dying!" said Harry. "No wonder Snape's after it! Anyone would want it."

Hermione wasn't so sure. _If there was anyone who didn't care for gold and immortality it would be Snape, wouldn't it?_

"And no wonder we couldn't find Flamel in that Study of Recent Developments in Wizardry," said Ron. "He's not exactly recent if he's six hundred and sixty-five, is he?".

* * *

The next day Harry insisted that he is going to play in the next Quidditch match. Hermione was far from being happy about it but knew that she didn't have a chance talking Harry out of it. She however started to practice the Leg-Locker Curse and urged Ron to do so too. As going to the stands Ron actually performed a perfect Leg-Locker Curse on Malfoy that cheered them even if only for a few seconds. They were far too worried about Harry.

"Now, don't forget, it's Locomotor Mortis," Hermione muttered as Ron slipped his wand up his sleeve when they were already among the Gryffindors.

"I know," Ron snapped. "Don't nag."

The next moment Hermione could have laughed out loud with relief as she saw Dumbledore arriving and taking a seat next to Professor Quirrell. There was no way that Snape would dare to try to hurt Harry if Dumbledore was watching even if he wanted to. _Does he want to hurt Harry at all?_ Hermione didn't know what to believe.

"I've never seen Snape look so mean," Ron said. "Look… they're off Ouch!" "Oh, sorry, Weasley, didn't see you there." Malfoy said "Wonder how long Potter's going to stay on his broom this time. Anyone want a bet? What about you, Weasley?"

Hermione, looked fixedly at Harry and ignored Malfoy.

Hardly had the game started when Harry suddenly went into a spectacular dive, which drew gasps and cheers from the crowd.

"Harry…" Hermione stood up, her crossed fingers in her mouth, as Harry streaked toward the ground like a bullet.

"Come on, Harry!" Hermione screamed, leaping onto her seat to watch Harry.

Her friend only missed Snape by a few centimeters as he shot past him. The next second, Harry pulled out of the dive, the Snitch clasped in his hand.

The stands erupted; it had to be a record, no one could ever remember the Snitch being caught so quickly.

"Ron! Ron! Where are you. The game's over! Harry's won! We've won! Gryffindor is in the lead!" shrieked Hermione, dancing up and down on her seat happily and hugging whoever was sitting in front of her not caring if it was Gryffindor or Slytherin. She was so relieved Snape didn't do anything. Of course maybe he just didn't have time, but anyway for now Harry was safe and that's what mattered to Hermione.

She was walking back to the common room while Ron went to the hospital wing with Neville. They had been fighting with Malfoy during the game as she found out. She said hello to Professor Quirrell absentmindedly as she passed him in the entrance hall. Just a few seconds later she found herself looking into Professor Snape's cold black eyes.

"Miss Granger, I need my book back." he said sharply in a hurried voice. "Bring it to the potions class tomorrow no later than 7 am."

_He must have realized what is in the book. Oh my God, what am I supposed to do?_ Hermione thought scared.

"Er…, there is a problem, sir."

"What?" he snapped.

"I don't have the book."

"You, what? I don't have time for this. Be in the potions classroom tomorrow morning at 7." he said and hurried out through the main door.

Hermione slightly shaking hurried to the Gryffindor common room._ This is not good. What am I supposed to tell him tomorrow. I bet he could tell if I was lying._

She turned around and run back to the library.

Just a few minutes later she was in the Gryffindor common room practicing a copy spell. She reproduced several pencils by the time that Ron arrived back. "Neville had to stay in the hospital wing for the night. But we won!" he went quiet as he saw Hermione's worried face.

"What's wrong?"

"Where is Harry?"

"He hadn't come back yet? Let's go."

"They ran out not really knowing where to look for Harry but hardly had they left the common room when they run into him.

"Harry, where have you been?" Hermione squeaked.

"We won! You won! We won!" shouted Ron, thumping Harry on the back. "And I gave Malfoy a black eye, and Neville tried to take on Crabbe and Goyle single-handed! He's still out cold but Madam Pomftey says he'll be all right… talk about showing Slytherin! Everyone's waiting for you in the common room, we're having a party, Fred and George stole some cakes and stuff from the kitchens."

"Never mind that now," said Harry breathlessly and Hermione was sure that she wasn't the only one who had bad news. "Let's find an empty room, you wait 'til you hear this.

"So we were right, it is the Sorcerer's Stone, and Snape's trying to force Quirrell to help him get it. He asked if he knew how to get past Fluffy… and he said something about Quirrell's 'hocus pocuss'… I reckon there are other things guarding the stone apart from Fluffy, loads of enchantments, probably, and Quirrell would have done some anti-Dark Arts spell that Snape needs to break through…"

"So you mean the Stone's only safe as long as Quirrell stands up to Snape." said Hermione in alarm. _Maybe there is something he needs in that book. I can't give it back to him. _

"It'll be gone by next Tuesday," said Ron.

_Not if he really needs that book. _Hermione thought with a tiny hope.

* * *

That night when Harry and Ron went to bed she went up to her dormitory.

"Copius" she muttered pointing at Snape's copy of Darkness in Light. And another book appeared right next to the original one.

The other book looked exactly the same. She went back to the common room with her new copy. She didn't really knew how to do this. She wanted it to look like as if destroying the book was an accident. The common room was quite empty yet really loud. Fred and George Weasley were dueling casting and blocking curses really quickly. Everyone was on the side safely away from the way of the curses encouraging the twins. Hermione however muttered Vingardium Leviosa and let the book fly on a table behind Fred. She slightly moved her wand just enough that George's next spell would hit the book. It actually went better than she expected. The curse's force threw the book right into the fireplace. Hermione jumped to get it, and by the time she managed to get the book it was only a few quite unreadable pages and the cover hardly recognizable.

_It should work. _Hermione thought. _When he asks me about the book I can tell that it was hit by a course and it fell into the fire. Even if he does read minds he won't be able to figure out it was a lie. _

She went to bed taking the burnt book with her. She lay awake all night. _It is not a good idea to tickle a sleeping dragon._ she thought. _What about punching an already angry dragon in the face?_

When she finally managed to fall asleep she had a dream about a dragon chasing Harry around on the Quidditch field. Snape was sitting at the teacher's stands and Hermione was yelling at him furiously. "You must help Harry, the dragon is going to eat him."

"I can't. I don't have my book." he said and just sat there.

Hermione looked up and saw as the dragon attacked Harry. She screamed and the dragon turned towards her. It had huge fangs and red eyes. It was also wearing a turban.

The next morning walking towards the potion's classroom she didn't remember anything from her dream.

* * *

Please pleas please review! Did you like the dream part? Should Snape be really angry at her? Should he figure it out that Hermione actually has the book? I haven't decided yet and waiting for your opinion.


	12. Chapter 12

Not JKR. Just to keep it short.

Thanks for the reviews and ideas to **sweet-tang-honney, yapyap, Lost O'Fallon Girl, Isis78-13, hortensia, HyuugaAE, Burnedx2 and lookinforlove13**!

Lost trust and dragons

She stopped just for a second. _Where is that Gryffindor bravery?_ she asked herself. She took a big breath as if it was the last one and then opened the door and entered the potions classroom. It was quite dark and Hermione relaxed. _He is not here yet._

Hardly had she thought that when a door materialized behind Snape's desk and in a second her potions professor was standing in front of her. _He is wearing muggle clothes_ Hermione realized with a shock. She got so used to seeing everyone in robes that she didn't believe anyone would wear muggle clothes other than herself.

„Good morning, Miss Granger." he said. His eyes were circled. He seemed to be exhausted and Hermione was sure he hadn't slept at all. She just nodded not trusting her voice.

„Could you just give me the book? I can give you something else to read later, but I need to get to work now."

Hermione couldn't move. She felt as if she had been jinxed with Petrificus Totalus.

„Miss Granger? Are you all right?" then it seemed that realization hit him. „Where is my book?"

„It… it's gone… it fell in the fire." she pulled out the remains of the copy she made.

Snape stared at it for a second without saying anything than looked at Hermione who kept her eyes on the floor avoiding Snape's gaze.

It was a long awkward minute. Finally Hermione gave up and looked up. The moment her eyes met Snapes' she saw the book burning in the fire.

Snape didn't say anything just waved his wand. For a moment Hermione thought he was about to jinx her and moved to grab her own wand.

"Do you really think I would attack one of my students?" he said in a quiet but dangerous tone.

* * *

He was surprised to see that the answer in Hermione's mind was quite clearly yes. _Why did she think that I would attack her?_

"Well, you're quite wrong, Miss Granger. Not up to your usual standards, are you?" he said angrily. "I hope you at least read the magical creature chapters in that damn book and can tell me if it writes about how to pass Fluf… a three headed dog without hurting it or getting bitten.

Hermione's mouth fell open.

"I don't know, sir." Hermione muttered.

"What is taking so long?" he said dangerously.

"I really don't know, sir."

"Not you, I've just asked for the copy from the library. I think it's quite clear by now that I wasn't jinxing you and I'm usually waving my wand with a purpose.

At that moment a piece of parchment flew into his hands.

_Dear Severus,_

_The book you're looking for__ (Darkness in Light) is currently checked out by Professor Quirrell. I'm sure he would be happy to lend it to you. _

_Sincerely,_

_Irma Prince_

Snape stared at the parchment. _Yeah, I'm sure he would be thrilled to lend it to me. _"Damn it, Quirrell!"

At that moment he realized, that Miss Granger was still standing there.

"Get out of the way, Miss Know-it-all."

"What's the problem with Quirrell?" she asked. She seemed to be equally angry as Snape felt. A day earlier he would have considered answering her. After all she was one of his smartest students. It might even help if more people keep their eyes out for Quirrell.

"Which part of get out of the way is too complicated for your brain to process?" he asked nastily "I can't even understand why I bothered to lend you some of my most precious books. Obviously my trust was misplaced."

He left without another word. He could have given her detention or take off points but somehow he was sure that if someone was more obsessed with books than him, than it was Miss Granger. He was also sure that his calling her a Know-it-all must have hurt her more than getting detention would have.

He couldn't care at the moment. By now Quirrell probably knew how to get through Fluffy if it was really in that book. Why didn't he think of the library copy before? He needed to talk to Dumbledore.

* * *

In the weeks that followed every time Hermione, Ron and Harry passed the third-floor corridor, they would press their ears to the door to check that Fluffy was still growling inside. Hermione kept the book in her trunk not daring to continue reading it. She knew it would be safest to really throw it in the fire, however she couldn't stand the idea of destroying such an old book.

Hermione tried to keep her mind busy with studying. She started drawing up study schedules and colorcoding all her notes. She encouraged Harry and Ron to follow her example. She knew that the boys needed to study much more than she did.

"Hermione, the exams are ages away." Ron said lazily.

"Ten weeks," Hermione snapped. "That's not ages, that's like a second to Nicolas Flamel."

"But we're not six hundred years old," Ron reminded her. "Anyway, what are you studying for, you already know everything."

"What am I studying for? Are you crazy? You realize we need to pass these exams to get into the second year. They're very important, I should have started studying a month ago, I don't know what's gotten into me..." she said knowing very well that she wouldn't have any problem taking her exams right then.

Luckily, the teachers seemed to be thinking along the same lines as Hermione. They piled lots of homework on them and Ron and Harry had to start practicing spells and reading notes

* * *

"I'll never remember this," Ron burst out one afternoon, throwing down his quill and looking longingly out of the library window. It was the first really fine day they'd had in months. The sky was a clear, forget-me-not blue, and there was a feeling in the air of summer coming.

Hermione got used to his constant complaining by now so she didn't even look up until Ron said "Hagrid! What are you doing in the library?"

Hagrid shuffled into view, hiding something behind his back. He looked very out of place in his moleskin overcoat.

"Jus' lookin'," he said, in a shifty voice that didn't mean anything good as far as Hermione could tell. "An' what're you lot up ter?" He looked suddenly suspicious. "Yer not still lookin' fer Nicolas Flamel, are yeh?"

"Oh, we found out who he is ages ago," said Ron which seemed to be pretty unfair to Hermione considering that it was she and Harry who actually found out anything about Flamel "And we know what that dog's guarding, it's a Sorcerer's St…"

"Shhhh!" Hagrid looked around quickly to see if anyone was listening."Don' go shoutin' about it, what's the matter with yeh."

"There are a few things we wanted to ask you, as a matter of fact," said Harry, "about what's guarding the Stone apart from Fluffy…"

Hermione had been wondering about that for a while too but she was sure that wasn't the right way to state the question.

"SHHHH!" said Hagrid again. "Listen… come an' see me later, I'm not promisin' I'll tell yeh anythin', mind, but don' go rabbitin' about it in here, students aren' s'pposed ter know. They'll think I've told yeh…" he left and Hermione smiled happily. She knew exactly how to get some answers from Hagrid. It's just not a good idea to confront him in the middle of the library. _What was he doing here, by the way?_

"What was he hiding behind his back?" wondered Hermione out loud. "Do you think it had anything to do with the Stone?"

"I'm going to see what section he was in," said Ron, was ready to use any opportunity to get away from his potions homework. He came back a minute later with a pile of books in his arms and slammed them down on the table.

"Dragons!" he whispered. "Hagrid was looking up stuff about dragons! Look at these: Dragon Species of Great Britain and Ireland; From Egg to Inferno, A Dragon Keeper's Guide."

"Hagrid's always wanted a dragon, he told me so the first time I ever met him, " said Harry.

"But it's against our laws," said Ron. "Dragon breeding was outlawed by the Warlocks' Convention of 1709, everyone knows that.

_Well I guess anyone who was brought up in a wizarding family. How can Ron know something that I don't? Not that I would ever admit it to him._ thought Hermione

It's hard to stop Muggles from noticing us if we're keeping dragons in the back garden… anyway, you can't tame dragons, it's dangerous. You should see the burns Charlie's got off wild ones in Romania."

"But there aren't wild dragons in Britain." said Harry.

"Of course there are," said Ron. "Common Welsh Green and Hebridean Blacks. The Ministry of Magic has a job hushing them up, I can tell you. Our kind have to keep putting spells on Muggles who've spotted them, to make them forget."

"So what on earths Hagrid up to?" said Hermione while making a mental note to find some books about dragons.

* * *

When they knocked on the door of the gamekeeper's hut an hour later, they were surprised to see that all the curtains were closed. Hagrid called "Who is it?" before he let them in, and then shut the door quickly behind them.

It was stifling hot inside. Even though it was such a warm day, there was a blazing fire in the grate. Hermione was surprised that the wooden hut wasn't on fire in that heat. Hagrid made them tea and offered them stoat sandwiches, which they refused.

"So… yeh wanted to ask me something."

"Yes," said Harry. "We were wondering if you could tell us what's guarding the Sorcerer's Stone apart from Fluffy."

Hagrid frowned at him as well as Hermione. She wished that Harry would have let her speak.

"0' course I can't, he said. Number one, I don' know meself. Number two, yeh know too much already, so I wouldn' tell yeh if I could. That Stone's here fer a good reason. It Was almost stolen outta Gringotts… I s'ppose yeh've worked that out an' all. Beats me how yeh even know abou' Fluffy."

"Oh, come on, Hagrid, you might not want to tell us, but you do know, you know everything that goes on round here," said Hermione in a warm, flattering voice before Harry could open his mouth. Hagrid's beard twitched and she could tell he was smiling. "We only wondered who had done the guarding, really. We wondered who Dumbledore had trusted enough to help him, apart from you."

Hagrid's chest swelled at these last words and Hermione saw Ron and Harry beaming at her.

"Well, I don' s'pose it could hurt ter tell yeh that... let's see... he borrowed Fluffy from me... then some o' the teachers did enchantments... Professor Sprout… Professor Flitwick… Professor McGonagall… Professor Quirrell… an' Dumbledore himself did somethin', o' course. Hang on, I've forgotten someone. Oh yeah, Professor Snape."

"Snape?" Hermione asked at the same time when Harry. She wished she would have stayed quiet the moment the word left her lips but it was too late. "Yeah… yer not still on abou' that, are yeh? Look, Snape helped protect the Stone, he's not about ter steal it."

Hermione was more confused than ever. If _Snape was one of the guardians of the stone, then Professor Dumbledore must really trust him. Was Dumbledore right to trust Snape? _that was the first of a thousand times that she asked herself that question.

"You're the only one who knows how to get past Fluffy. aren't you, Hagrid?" said Harry. "And you wouldn't tell anyone, would you? Not even one of the teachers?"

"Not a soul knows except me an' Dumbledore," said Hagrid proudly.

"Well, that's something," Harry muttered. "Hagrid, can we have a window open? I'm boiling."

"Can't, Harry, sorry,"

Hermione was about to ask why not when Harry started to speak while staring at the fireplace.

"Hagrid… what's that?"

Hermione didn't need to know anything about dragons to tell what it was. In the very heart of the fire, underneath the kettle, was a huge, black egg.

"Ah," said Hagrid, fiddling nervously with his beard, "That's er..."

"Where did you get it, Hagrid?" said Ron, crouching over the fire to get a closer look at the egg. "It must've cost you a fortune."

"Won it," said Hagrid. "Las' night. I was down in the village havin' a few drinks an' got into a game o' cards with a stranger. Think he was quite glad ter get rid of it, ter be honest."

"But what are you going to do with it when it's hatched?" said Hermione nervously.

"Well, I've bin doin' some reading" , said Hagrid, pulling a large book from under his pillow. "Got this outta the library… Dragon Breeding for Pleasure and Profit… it's a bit outta date, o' course, but it's all in here. Keep the egg in the fire, 'cause their mothers breathe on 'em, see, an' when it hatches, feed it on a bucket o' brandy mixed with chicken blood every half hour. An' see here… how ter recognize diff'rent eggs… what I got there's a Norwegian Ridgeback. They're rare, them."

He looked very pleased with himself, but Hermione for the first time in her life was sure that books won't help in this situation.

"Hagrid, you live in a wooden house," she said.

But Hagrid wasn't listening. He was humming merrily as he stoked the fire. So now she had something else to worry about: what might happen to Hagrid if anyone found out he was hiding an illegal dragon in his hut.

_As if I didn't have enough on my mind already._

"Wonder what it's like to have a peaceful life," Ron sighed on evening and Hermione couldn't help agreeing with him.

She tried not to worry about Hagrid and his dragon but she couldn't stop worrying about Snape.

Then, one breakfast time, Hedwig brought Harry another note from Hagrid.

He had written only two words: _It's hatching_.

Ron wanted to skip Herbology and go straight down to the hut. Hermione wouldn't hear of it.

"No chance, Ron! The exams are coming up!" she said knowing that it was a weak excuse.

"Hermione, how many times in our lives are we going to see a dragon hatching?"

"We've got lessons, we'll get into trouble, and that's nothing to what Hagrid's going to be in when someone finds out what he's doing…"

"Shut up!" Harry whispered.

Malfoy was only a few feet away and he had stopped dead to listen. _How much had he hear_d? Hermione wondered.

When the bell sounded from the castle at the end of their lesson, the three of them hurried through the grounds to the edge of the forest. Hagrid greeted them, looking flushed and excited.

"It's nearly out." He ushered them inside. Hermione followed the excited boys with a deep sigh.

The egg was lying on the table. There were deep cracks in it. Something was moving inside; a funny clicking noise was coming from it.

They all drew their chairs up to the table and watched with bated breath. Even Hermione forgot to worry for a minute.

All at once there was a scraping noise and the egg split open. The baby dragon flopped onto the table. Its spiny wings were huge compared to its skinny jet body, it had a long snout with wide nostrils, the stubs of horns and bulging, orange eyes.

It sneezed. A couple of sparks flew out of its snout. _Hagrid's hut is oing to burn down in a few days unless he gets rid of the dragon._ Hermione was about to suggest to Hagrid to let the dragon free when Hagrid spoke.

"Isn't he beautiful?" he murmured. He reached out a hand to stroke the dragon's head. It snapped at his fingers, showing pointed fangs.

"Bless him, look, he knows his mommy!" said Hagrid. _Sure if trying to eat your mommy's fingers is normal among dragons. Oh, my god! We are never going to be able to talk Hagrid into getting rid of this dragon. What am I supposed to do?_

"Hagrid," said Hermione, "how fast do Norwegian Ridgebacks grow, exactly?" Hagrid was about to answer when the color suddenly drained from his face… he leapt to his feet and ran to the window.

"What's the matter?"

"Someone was lookin' through the gap in the curtains… it's a kid… he's runnin' back up ter the school." Harry bolted to the door and looked out.

"It could have been an accident. He may not have seen the dragon." Ron blurted out hopefully.

"Not a chance. It was Malfoy." said Harry.

* * *

Finally Harry came up with the idea of sending the dragon – Norbert as Hagrid called him to Ron's brother Charlie. Ron wrote a letter to him and they were waiting for a reply for days. Hermione and Harry were sitting alone in the common room, long after everyone else had gone to bed. The clock on the wall had just chimed midnight when the portrait hole burst open. Ron appeared out of nowhere as he pulled off Harry's invisibility cloak. He had been down at Hagrid's hut, helping him feed Norbert, who was now eating dead rats by the crate.

"It bit me!" he said, showing them his hand, which was wrapped in a bloody handkerchief. "I'm not going to be able to hold a quill for a week. I tell you, that dragon's the most horrible animal I've ever met, but the way Hagrid goes on about it, you'd think it was a fluffy little bunny rabbit. When it bit me he told me off for frightening it. And when I left, he was singing it a lullaby." There was a tap on the dark window.

"It's Hedwig!" said Harry "She'll have Charlie's answer!"

They read the note together.

_Dear Ron,_

_How are you__? Thanks for the letter… I'd be glad to take the Norwegian Ridgeback, but it won't be easy getting him here. I think the best thing_

_will be to send him over with some friends of mine who are coming to visit me next week. Trouble is, they mustn't be seen carrying an illegal dragon._

_Could you get the Ridgeback up the tallest tower at midnight on Saturday. They can meet you there and take him away while it's still dark._

_Send me an an__swer as soon as possible._

_Love, Charlie_

They looked at one another.

"We've got the invisibility cloak," said Harry. "It shouldn't be too difficult… I think the cloaks big enough to cover two of us and Norbert"

Hermione just nodded and shortly afterwards she said good night to the boys.

By the next morning, Ron's bitten hand had swollen to twice its usual size. He didn't know whether it was safe to go to Madam Pomfrey… would she recognize a dragon bite? Hermione found a book in the library about dragon species and soon learnt that Norwegian Ridgebacks' bite was poisonous.

She insisted that Ron should go to the hospital wing. Ron refused but an hour later, he had no choice. The cut had turned a nasty shade of green.

Hermione and Harry rushed up to the hospital wing at the end of the day to find Ron in a terrible state in bed.

"It's not just my hand," he whispered, "although that feels like it's about to fall off. Malfoy told Madam Pomfrey he wanted to borrow one of my books so he could come and have a good laugh at me. He kept threatening to tell her what really bit me… I've told her it was a dog, but I don't think she believes me. I shouldn't have hit him at the Quidditch match, that's why he's doing this." Hermione tried to calm Ron down.

"It'll all be over at midnight on Saturday," said Hermione, but this didn't soothe Ron at all. On the contrary, he sat bolt upright and broke

into a sweat.

"Midnight on Saturday!" he said in a hoarse voice. "Oh no oh no… I've just remembered… Charlie's letter was in that book Malfoy took, he's going to know we're getting rid of Norbert." Hermione didn't get a chance to answer. Madam Pomfrey came over at that moment and made them leave, saying Ron needed sleep.

"It's too late to change the plan now," Harry told Hermione. "We haven't got time to send Charlie another owl, and this could be our only chance to get rid of Norbert. We'll have to risk it. And we have got the invisibility cloak, Malfoy doesn't know about that."

* * *

Saturday night was a very dark, cloudy night, and they were a bit late arriving at Hagrid's hut because they'd had to wait for Peeves to get out of their way in the entrance hall, where he'd been playing tennis against the wall. Hagrid had Norbert packed and ready in a large crate.

"He's got lots o' rats an' some brandy fer the journey," said Hagrid in a muffled voice. "An' I've packed his teddy bear in case he gets lonely."

If the situation hadn't been so serious Hermione probably would have laughed.

"Bye-bye, Norbert!" Hagrid sobbed, as Harry and Hermione covered the crate with the invisibility cloak and stepped underneath it themselves.

"Mommy will never forget you!" Hermione hear Hagrid as they left.

For Hermione Hogwarts never seemed to be so huge as that night. Every corridor was longer than she expected. Every staircase had more steps then she anticipated. It was a terrible journey and by the time they got to the seventh floor Hermione felt as if her arms and legs were about to fall off.

"Nearly there!" Harry panted

Then a sudden movement ahead of them made them almost drop the crate.

Forgetting that they were already invisible, they shrank into the shadows, staring at the dark outlines of two people grappling with each other ten feet away. A lamp flared.

Professor McGonagall, in a tartan bathrobe and a hair net, had Malfoy by the ear.

"Detention!" she shouted. "And twenty points from Slytherin! Wandering around in the middle of the night, how dare you…"

"You don't understand, Professor. Harry Potter's coming… he's got a dragon!"

"What utter rubbish!" yelled Professor McGonagall and Hermione could hardly hold back her laughter "How dare you tell such lies! Come on… I shall see Professor Snape about you, Malfoy!"

The steep spiral staircase up to the top of the tower seemed the easiest thing in the world after that. Not until they'd stepped out into the cold night air did they throw off the cloak, glad to be able to breathe properly again. Hermione did a sort of jig.

"Malfoy's got detention! I could sing!" she said now laughing freely.

"Don't," Harry told her unnecesarrily.

Chuckling about Malfoy, they waited, Norbert thrashing about in his crate. About ten minutes later, four broomsticks came swooping down out

of the darkness.

Charlie's friends were a cheery lot. They showed Harry and Hermione the harness they'd rigged up, so they could suspend Norbert between them.

They all helped buckle Norbert safely into it and then Hermione and Harry shook hands with the others and thanked them very much.

At last, Norbert was going... going... gone.

They slipped back down the spiral staircase, their hearts as light as their hands, now that Norbert was off them. No more dragon… Malfoy in detention… everything seemed perfect.

Of course Snape was still far too mysterious but Hermione was sure she wouldn't have to face him till next potions class. What else was to worry about?

The answer to that was waiting at the foot of the stairs. As they stepped into the corridor, Filch's face loomed suddenly out of the darkness.

"Well, well, well," he whispered, "we are in trouble."

_Where is the cloak? No, I can't be that stupid._

_

* * *

_

**Please rewiev! I'm nearly at the end of the first book!:D**


	13. Chapter 13

Harry Potter is not mine. I agree that he should be Ginny's. Unfortunately Snape is not mine either, otherwise he would have lived and ended up with my favorite know-it-all.

I'm really sorry for messing up the chapters! I decided to write this chapter longer than usual hoping that you'll forgive me.

Thanks for the reviews to **HopeInHell, Isis78-13, sweet-tang-honney, and Lost O'Fallon Girl.**

* * *

Detention and Discovery

Hermione started to search for excuses but for once her brains failed to come up with a good answer. Filch took them down to Professor McGonagall's study on the first floor, where they sat and waited without saying a word to each other. Hermione was trembling and still didn't have any idea what to say. How could they have been so stupid as to forget the cloak?

There was no reason on earth that Professor McGonagall would accept for their being out of bed and creeping around the school in the dead of night, let alone being up the tallest astronomy tower, which was out-of-bounds except for classes. Add Norbert and the invisibility cloak, and they might as well be packing their bags already. Hermione fought back tears. Hogwarts was indeed her place. Not her home like it was Harry's but a place where she belonged to. Where people could understand her in a way that even her parents couldn't.

When Professor McGonagall appeared, she was leading Neville.

"Harry!" Neville burst Out, the moment he saw the other two. "I was trying to find you to warn you, I heard Malfoy saying he was going to catch you, he said you had a drag…" Hermione saw Harry shook his head violently to shut Neville up, and was sure that Professor McGonagall saw it too.

She never saw her favorite professor so angry. "I would never have believed it of any of you. Mr. Filch says you were up in the astronomy tower. It's one o'clock in the morning. Explain yourselves."

Hermione didn't have an answer. She was staring at her slippers, as still as a statue.

"I think I've got a good idea of what's been going on," said Professor McGonagall. "It doesn't take a genius to work it out. You fed Draco Malfoy some cock-and-bull story about a dragon, trying to get him out of bed and into trouble. I've already caught him. I suppose you think it's funny that Longbottom here heard the story and believed it, too." Hermione take in a great breath. She felt betrayed. How could Professor McGonagall think that she would ever do anything like that?

"I'm disgusted," said Professor McGonagall. "Four students out of bed in one night! I've never heard of such a thing before! You, Miss Granger, I thought you had more sense."

Hermione opened her mouth to tell the truth. McGonagall's accusations hurt too much. Then she thought of Hagrid, their friend and didn't say anything.

"As for you, Mr. Potter, I thought Gryffindor meant more to you than this. All three of you will receive detentions… yes, you too, Mr. Longbottom, nothing gives you the right to walk around school at night, especially these days, it's very dangerous… and fifty points will be taken from Gryffindor."

"Fifty?" Harry gasped.

"Fifty points each," said Professor McGonagall, breathing heavily through her long, pointed nose. _Oh, no! We lose our chance of winning the cup. Everyone is going to hate us for it. _

"Professor… please " Hermione muttered with tears in her eye.

"You can't…" started Harry.

"Don't tell me what I can and can't do, Potter. Now get back to bed, all of you. I've never been more ashamed of Gryffindor students."

They didn't say a word on their way back. Neville kept looking at them accusingly but Hermione knew she can't talk about Norbert even to her friend. A hundred and fifty points lost. That put Gryffindor in last place. In one night, they'd ruined any chance Gryffindor had had for the house cup. Hermione gained about a hundred points during the school year to Gryffindor yet she felt there was no way to make up for this. She didn't sleep at all. When the tears stopped finally at dawn she just kept staring at the ceiling dreading the next day.

At first, Gryffindors passing the giant hourglasses that recorded the house points the next day thought there'd been a mistake. How could they suddenly have a hundred and fifty points fewer than yesterday? And then the story started to spread: Harry got the worst part. From being one of the most popular and admired people at the school, Harry was suddenly the most hated. Even Ravenclaws and Hufflepuffs turned on him, because everyone had been longing to see Slytherin lose the house cup. Hermione and Neville were suffering, too. They didn't have as bad a time as Harry, because they weren't as well-known, but nobody would speak to them, either. Hermione had stopped drawing attention to herself in class, keeping her head down and working in silence. She spent most of her time in a hidden corner of the library studying for her exams. Only Ron stood by them. He tried to encourage them; however Hermione couldn't help but wish that she had been the one staying in the hospital wing that night instead of Ron.

Harry and Ron often joined her in the library and Hermione welcomed them knowing that they were less worried about studying and exam results than about avoiding their fellow Gryffindors. They kept to themselves, working late into the night, studying potions, learning charms and spells by heart, memorizing the dates of magical discoveries and goblin rebellions.

* * *

One evening when Hermione was testing Ron on Astronomy in the library Harry came with the news that Quirrell probably finally gave in to Snape.

"Snape's done it, then!" said Ron. "If Quirrell's told him how to break his Anti-Dark Force spell."

"There's still Fluffy, though," said Hermione.

"Maybe Snape's found out how to get past him without asking Hagrid," said Ron, looking up at the thousands of books surrounding them. "I bet there's a book somewhere in here telling you how to get past a giant three-headed dog."

_Yeah, but it's in my trunk. Of course there must be other copies. __It couldn't have been too difficult. _

"So what do we do, Harry?" The light of adventure was kindling again in Ron's eyes, but Hermione answered before Harry could.

"Go to Dumbledore. That's what we should have done ages ago. If we try anything ourselves we'll be thrown out for sure."

"But we've got no proof!" said Harry. "Quirrell's too scared to back us up. Snape's only got to say he doesn't know how the troll got in at Halloween and that he was nowhere near the third floor… who do you think they'll believe, him or us. It's not exactly a secret we hate him, Dumbledore will think we made it up to get him sacked. Filch wouldn't help us if his life depended on it, he's too friendly with Snape, and the more students get thrown out, the better, he'll think. And don't forget, we're not supposed to know about the Stone or Fluffy. That'll take a lot of explaining."

Hermione was convinced. With all their misery she was still grateful that she could stay in Hogwarts.

"If we just do a bit of poking around…" said Ron.

"No," said Harry flatly, before Hermione could say a word "we've done enough poking around."

The following morning, Hermione got a note during breakfast.

_Your detention will take place at eleven o'clock tonight. Meet Mr. Filch in the entrance hall._

Hermione didn't say anything. She never got a detention in her life before but she didn't care. McGonagall's words hurt more than any point loss or detention could. At eleven o'clock that night, they said good-bye to Ron in the common room and went down to the entrance hall with Neville who still didn't talk to Hermione although she had apologized. At least he followed her whispered instructions during potions class. First he refused to do so and his cauldron exploded all over the room.

Filch was already there… and so was Malfoy. "Follow me," said Filch, lighting a lamp and leading them outside. "I bet you'll think twice about breaking a school rule again, won't you, eh. Oh yes... hard work and pain are the best teachers if you ask me... It's just a pity they let the old punishments die out... hang you by your wrists from the ceiling for a few days, I've got the chains still in my office, keep 'em well oiled in case they're ever needed... Right, off we go, and don't think of running off, now, it'll be worse for you if you do."

They marched off across the dark grounds. The moon was bright, but clouds scudding across it kept throwing them into darkness. Ahead, Hermione could see the lighted windows of Hagrid's hut. She hadn't seen Hagrid since the night they took Norbert. She just couldn't bring herself to talk to him. After all if Hagrid hadn't been as stupid to bring a dragon home with him. _What was he thinking anyway?_ Then they heard a distant shout.

"Is that you, Filch? Hurry up, I want ter get started."

Harry seemed to cheer up and even Hermione felt slightly better.

"I suppose you think you'll be enjoying yourself with that oaf. Well, think again, boy… it's into the forest you're going and I'm much mistaken if you'll all come out in one piece." said Filch nastily. At this, Neville let out a little moan, and Malfoy stopped dead in his tracks.

"The forest?" he repeated in a tiny voice.

"We can't go in there at night… there's all sorts of things in there… werewolves, I heard."

Hermione started to think about everything she read about werewolves and how to fight them.

"That's your problem, isn't it?" said Filch, his voice cracking with glee. "Should've thought of the werewolves before you got in trouble, shouldn't you?"

Hagrid came striding toward them out of the dark, Fang at his heel. He was carrying his large crossbow, and a quiver of arrows hung over his shoulder.

"Abou' time," he said. "I bin waitin' fer half an hour already. All right, Harry, Hermione."

"I shouldn't be too friendly to them, Hagrid," said Filch coldly, they're here to be punished, after all."

"That's why yer late, is it." said Hagrid, frowning at Filch. "Bin lecturin' them, eh. 'Snot your place ter do that. Yeh've done yer bit, I'll take over from here."

"I'll be back at dawn," said Filch, "for what's left of them," he added nastily, and he turned and started back toward the castle, his lamp bobbing away in the darkness.

Malfoy now turned to Hagrid.

"I'm not going in that forest" he said and it was easy to hear the panic in his voice.

"Yeh are if yeh want ter stay at Hogwarts," said Hagrid fiercely.

"Yeh've done wrong an' now yehve got ter pay fer it."

"But this is servant stuff, it's not for students to do. I thought we'd be copying lines or something, if my father knew I was doing this…"

"He'd tell yer that's how it is at Hogwarts," Hagrid growled. "Copyin' lines! What good's that ter anyone. Yeh'll do summat useful or Yeh'll get out. If yeh think yer father'd rather you were expelled, then get back off ter the castle an' pack. Go on"'

Malfoy didn't move. He looked at Hagrid furiously, but then dropped his gaze.

"Right then," said Hagrid, "now, listen carefully, 'cause it's dangerous what we're gonna do tonight, an' I don' want no one takin' risks. Follow me over here a moment." He led them to the very edge of the forest. Holding his lamp up high, he pointed down a narrow, winding earth track that disappeared into the thick black trees. A light breeze lifted their hair as they looked into the forest.

"Look there," said Hagrid, "see that stuff shinin' on the ground. Silvery stuff. That's unicorn blood. There's a unicorn in there bin hurt badly by summat. This is the second time in a week. I found one dead last Wednesday. We're gonna try an' find the poor thing. We might have ter put it out of its misery."

"And what if whatever hurt the unicorn finds us first?" said Malfoy, unable to keep the fear out of his voice.

"There's nothin' that lives in the forest that'll hurt yeh if yer with me or Fang," said Hagrid. "An' keep ter the path. Right, now, we're gonna split inter two parties an' follow the trail in diff'rent directions. There's blood all over the place, it must've bin staggerin' around since last night at least."

"I want Fang," said Malfoy quickly, looking at Fang's long teeth.

"All right, but I warn yeh, he's a coward," said Hagrid.

"So me, Harry, an' Hermione'll go one way an' Draco, Neville, an' Fang'll go the other.

Now, if any of us finds the unicorn, we'll send up green sparks, right? Get yer wands out an' practice now… that's it… an' if anyone gets in trouble, send up red sparks, an' we'll all come an' find yeh… so, be careful… let's go."

The forest was black and silent. A little way into it they reached a fork in the earth path, and Hermione, Harry and Hagrid took the left path while Malfoy, Neville, and Fang took the right. They walked in silence, their eyes on the ground. Every now and then a ray of moonlight through the branches above lit a spot of silver-blue blood on the fallen leaves.

Hagrid looked very worried.

"Could a werewolf be killing the unicorns?" Harry asked.

"Not fast enough," said Hagrid. "It's not easy ter catch a unicorn, they're powerful magic creatures. I never knew one ter be hurt before." They walked past a mossy tree stump. Harry could hear running water; there must be a stream somewhere close by. There were still spots of unicorn blood here and there along the winding path.

"You all right, Hermione?" Hagrid whispered. "Don' worry, it can't've gone far if it's this badly hurt, an' then we'll be able ter…"

Hermione heard the tone of apology in Hagrid's voice. He understood that he caused a lot of trouble for them but before she could answer Hagrid yelled "GET BEHIND THAT TREE!"

Hagrid seized Hermione and Harry and hoisted them off the path behind a towering oak. He pulled out an arrow and fitted it into his crossbow, raising it, ready to fire. The three of them listened. Something was slithering over dead leaves nearby Hermione shuddered. It didn't sound like an animal it was more like a cloak trailing along the ground. She couldn't help imagining a dark cloaked figure passing by on the other side of the path. _Did I really just imagine it? Dark and cloak? Could it be Snape? _She didn't voice her worries in front of Hagrid.

"I knew it, " Hagrid murmured. "There's summat in here that shouldn' be."

"A werewolf." Harry suggested.

"That wasn' no werewolf an' it wasn' no unicorn, neither," said Hagrid grimly. "Right, follow me, but careful, now."

They walked more slowly, ears straining for the faintest sound. Suddenly, in a clearing ahead, something definitely moved.

"Who's there?" Hagrid called. "Show yerself… I'm armed!"

And a centaur approached them. To the waist, a man, with red hair and beard, but below that was a horse's gleaming chestnut body with a long, reddish tail. Hermione's jaws dropped. She read about centaurs but never saw one.

"Oh, it's you, Ronan," said Hagrid in relief. "How are yeh?"

He walked forward and shook the centaur's hand.

"Good evening to you, Hagrid," said Ronan. He had a deep, sorrowful voice. "Were you going to shoot me?"

"Can't be too careful, Ronan," said Hagrid, patting his crossbow.

"There's summat bad loose in this forest. This is Harry Potter an' Hermione Granger, by the way. Students up at the school. An' this is Ronan, you two. He's a centaur.

"We'd noticed," said Hermione faintly.

"Good evening," said Ronan. "Students, are you? And do you learn much, up at the school?"

"Erm…" Harry seemed to be speechless.

"A bit," said Hermione timidly.

"A bit. Well, that's something." Ronan sighed. He flung back his head and stared at the sky. "Mars is bright tonight."

Hermione shuddered again not really knowing why at first. _Mars was the God of war in ancient Rome she remembered. _Ronan's simple sentence suddenly sounded really alarming.

"Yeah," said Hagrid, glancing up, too. "Listen, I'm glad we've run inter yeh, Ronan, 'cause there's a unicorn bin hurt… you seen anythin'?"

Ronan didn't answer immediately. He stared unblinkingly upward, then sighed again. "Always the innocent are the first victims. So it has been for ages past, so it is now."

Now Hermione was truly scared but Hagrid didn't seem to be worried at all.

"Yeah," said Hagrid, "but have yeh seen anythin', Ronan? Anythin' unusual?" "Mars is bright tonight," Ronan repeated, while Hagrid watched him impatiently. "Unusually bright."

"Yeah, but I was meanin' anythin' unusual a bit nearer home" said Hagrid. "So yeh haven't noticed anythin' strange."

Yet again, Ronan took a while to answer. At last, he said, "The forest hides many secrets."

A movement in the trees behind Ronan made Hagrid raise his bow again, but it was only a second centaur, black-haired and -bodied and wilder-looking than Ronan.

"Hullo, Bane," said Hagrid. "All right." he added to Hermione who jumped not realizing that it was a second centaur for a moment.

"Good evening, Hagrid, I hope you are well."

"Well enough. Look, I've jus' bin askin' Ronan, you seen anythin' odd in here lately. There's a unicorn bin injured… would yeh know anythin' about it?"

Bane walked over to stand next to Ronan. He looked skyward. "Mars is bright tonight," he said simply.

"We've heard," said Hagrid grumpily. "Well, if either of you do see anythin', let me know, won't yeh. We'll be off, then." Hermione followed him out of the clearing, staring over her shoulders at Ronan and Bane still wondering about what exactly they meant.

"Never," said Hagrid irritably, "try an' get a straight answer out of a centaur. Ruddy stargazers. Not interested in anythin' closer'n the moon."

"Are there many of them in here?" asked Hermione.

"Oh, a fair few... Keep themselves to themselves mostly, but they're good enough about turnin' up if ever I want a word. They're deep, mind, centaurs... they know things... jus' don' let on much."

"D'you think that was a centaur we heard earlier." said Harry.

"Did that sound like hooves to you. Nah, if yeh ask me, that was what's bin killin' the unicorns… never heard anythin' like it before." They walked on through the dense, dark trees following the unicorn's blood. Hermione kept looking up at the sky and suddenly she saw red sparks shining more brightly than Mars or any of the stars. She grabbed Hagrid's arm. "Hagrid! Look! Red sparks, the others are in trouble!"

"You two wait here!" Hagrid shouted. "Stay on the path, I'll come back for yeh!" They heard him crashing away through the undergrowth and stood looking at each other, very scared, until they couldn't hear anything but the rustling of leaves around them.

"You don't think they've been hurt, do you." whispered Hermione fighting back tears again. _If anything happened to Neville it would be all my fault. I could never forgive myself._

"I don't care if Malfoy has, but if something's got Neville... it's our fault he's here in the first place." Harry repeated her thoughts.

The minutes dragged by. _What is going on? Where is Neville? What if Hagrid can't help them and now he is in trouble too? Why didn't we go with him? Should we go and call Dumbledore? Which way is Hogwarts?_

At last, a great crunching noise announced Hagrid's return. Malfoy, Neville, and Fang were with him. Hagrid was fuming. Malfoy, it seemed, had sneaked up behind Neville and grabbed him as a joke. Neville had panicked and sent up the sparks.

Hermione was so relieved. She tried to hug Neville happily but he stepped away and gave Hermione the same accusing look that she got used to seeing in the last few days.

"We'll be lucky ter catch anythin' now, with the racket you two were makin'. Right, we're changin' groups… Neville, you stay with me an' Hermione, Harry, you go with Fang an' this idiot. Harry set off into the heart of the forest with Malfoy and Fang and Hermione was grateful that she was with Neville. She was worried for Harry of course but she was sure that he has a better chance of taking care of himself than Neville.

* * *

_Well, now what_? Snape asked himself. He was trying to catch Quirrell and make sure that the students were safe. Of course with all the talking that was going on he had no chance of surprising Quirrell. He was so close but then Quirrell must have heard Hagrid's voice and ran away. He didn't dare to follow him too far. He had to keep close to Potter according to Dumbledore's orders. Also he didn't really want to leave Miss Granger. The first year girl seemed so fragile in the middle of the dark forest. However now he had to decide and quickly. Potter was leaving with Draco while Miss Granger was continuing on the path with Hagrid and Longbottom. _I'd better stay with this group, Quirrell was so close. _he decided.

"I'm sorry, 'Ermione. I didn' wanna ter cause yeh trouble. I really didn' think anythin' would happen to yeh."

"That's ok, Hagrid. I'm not angry."

"Thanks 'Ermione. Norbert is safely in Romania by now thanks to yeh."

"Who is Norbert?" asked Longbottom the question that Snape was curious about too.

"My drag…"

"AAAAAAAAAARGH!"

At that moment he heard a terrible scream of panic. It was Draco. He started to run through the forest towards the boys. _If anything happens to Draco, Lucius will kill me. If anything happens to Potter, Dumbledore will kill me. Why didn't I think this through? Of course Quirrell would be following Potter._

He was too slow. Quirrell could already have… have what? Murder Potter? That's not like Quirrell. What was wrong with that guy anyway? He used to be quite decent before his summer trip. He seemed to be possessed. Snape came to a halt. He looked down at his left hand. The dark mark was getting stronger, Voldemort was getting stronger, and they were following unicorn blood. Quirrell was indeed possessed. Then a sudden pain pierced his left hand; as if the mark was on fire. He refused to worry about the pain or his discovery and ran towards the boys. Hardly had he seen them when a centaur jumped over Potter and attacked a cloaked figure that was leaning over the dead unicorn. It was Quirrell yet it wasn't him. His face was that of the Dark Lord. He ran and disappeared in the darkness. Snape didn't dare to follow him. He couldn't leave Potter. Also he couldn't let Voldemort know that he realized who he was. He needed a better oppurtunity for that. When he could pretend that he was still a loyal Death Eater. Maybe it was his pessimism but he was quite sure that unless they can find a way to get rid of Voldemort once and forever the Order will need him again as a spy.

Potter fell on his knees his hands on his famous scar. Snape was sure that Potter felt the same pain through his scar that he did through his mark. That was really alarming. He'd better tell Dumbledore that Potter had some kind of connection with Voldemort.

"Are you all right?" said the centaur, pulling Potter to his feet.

"Yes… thank you… what was that?"

"You are the Potter boy," the centaur said instead of an answer. "You had better get back to Hagrid. The forest is not safe at this time… especially for you. Can you ride? It will be quicker this way."

"My name is Firenze," he added, as he lowered himself on to his front legs. Snape was shocked. Centaurs never let humans ride on them. Potter probably didn't even realize what an exceptional offer this was.

There was suddenly a sound of more galloping from the other side of the clearing. Ronan and Bane came bursting through the trees, their flanks heaving and sweaty.

"Firenze!" Bane thundered. "What are you doing? You have a human on your back! Have you no shame? Are you a common mule?"

"Do you realize who this is?" said Firenze. "This is the Potter boy. The quicker he leaves this forest, the better."

Snape couldn't help agreeing with Firenze.

"What have you been telling him?" growled Bane. "Remember, Firenze, we are sworn not to set ourselves against the heavens. Have we not read what is to come in the movements of the planets?"

"I'm sure Firenze thought he was acting for the best." Ronan said in his gloomy kicked his back legs in anger.

"For the best! What is that to do with us? Centaurs are concerned with what has been foretold! It is not our business to run around like donkeys after stray humans in our forest!"

"Do you not see that unicorn?" Firenze bellowed at Bane. "Do you not understand why it was killed? Or have the planets not let you in on that secret? I set myself against what is lurking in this forest, Bane, yes, with humans alongside me if I must."

Snape suddenly felt respect towards the young centaur who was willing to go against all the rules and traditions to fight against the Dark Lord. Firenze whisked around and he and Harry was gone in a minute. Harry didn't have a clue what was going on.

Snape started to run after them. Luckily Firenze came to a halt very soon and Snape hid behind a tree nearby.

"No," answered Potter to whatever the question was. "We've only used the horn and tail hair in Potions."

_Oh, they are talking about the unicorn blood? Firenze really is going against all the rules._

"That is because it is a monstrous thing, to slay a unicorn." said Firenze. "Only one who has nothing to lose, and everything to gain, would commit such a crime. The blood of a unicorn will keep you alive, even if you are an inch from death, but at a terrible price. You have slain something pure and defenseless to save yourself, and you will have but a half-life, a cursed life, from the moment the blood touches your lips."

"But who'd be that desperate?" Potter wondered aloud. _Come on Potter even you can't be that stupid._

"If you're going to be cursed forever, deaths better, isn't it?"

"It is," Firenze agreed, "unless all you need is to stay alive long enough to drink something else… something that will bring you back to full strength and power… something that will mean you can never die."

_The Sorcerer's Stone. Voldemort needs it to return. He can never get it. Not with Dumbledore's mirror_. Snape sighed relieved.

"Mr. Potter, do you know what is hidden in the school at this very moment?" "The Sorcerer's Stone! Of course… the Elixir of Life! But I don't understand who…"

_How can the boy know about it?_

"Can you think of nobody who has waited many years to return to power, who has clung to life, awaiting their chance."

"Do you mean," Harry croaked, "that was Vol-"

"Harry! Harry, are you all right?" Miss Granger was running towards Potter with Hagrid and Longbottom following her.

* * *

When finally the students were back in their common rooms safely Snape headed for Dumbledore's office. "M&Ms" he muttered when arriving in front of the Stone Gargoyle not quite sure what that was except for the fact that it must be some kind of muggle candy.

"Please come in, Severus." said Dumbledore "May I ask the reason for your visit at this time of the night?"

Snape glanced at the clock on Dumbledore's desk and realized that it was past midnight. He never really cared about time he was an Owl type of person. He needed very little sleep and when he slept he preferred to do so during daytime.

"I'm sorry to bother you Albus but I'm afraid I have some bad news to say."

"Sit down then my boy. I wish it wouldn't be your job to break bad news all the time."

"I'm quite certain that the Stone is safe, my boy. I doubt that Voldemort could ever get it from the mirror." Dumbledore said when he finished his story.

"But, he is in the school! Voldemort is in Hogwarts teaching students! You can't let that happen!"

Dumbledore didn't look at him. Neither of them spoke for a long time.

"You knew it, didn't you?"

"I guessed it."

"How long have you known it?"

"The day Quirrell applied for the job."

"And you never told me."

"I was afraid that you would insist on playing the role of a double spy again."

"I could help that way. Of course I want to do it."

"Haven't you done enough already, Severus? Haven't you suffered enough already? Can't you just forget and start to live again?"

"I'm quite alive, thank you."

"Severus, please. I don't want to place you in unnecessary danger. If Voldemort asks your help then you'll have to spy on him again. But until then, please stay out of this. Please stay safe."

Snape wanted to yell at Dumbledore. He shouldn't let Voldemort teach in Hogwarts surrounded by innocent children. He wanted to throw something right at the old man. He wanted to break something.

He looked into Dumbledore's eyes. And wondered why Albus trusted him. It was clear that he was better at Occlumency than his old mentor. He could have already offered his help to Voldemort and Albus wouldn't know about it. Dumbledore had no idea about how he felt at that moment. He didn't know how angry he was. He had no clue how betrayed he felt. He took a calming breath.

_Sure Dumbledore has no idea about what's going on in my head. But he can read my heart. I'd never ever betray him._

Slowly Snape stood up and headed for the door.

"Good night, Albus. Sorry for taking your time." he said and closed the office door behind himself.

* * *

Please leave a review!


	14. Chapter 14

Not JKR. Oh, and I don't own the Beatles song either. I could really associate parts of it with Lily and Sev.

Thank you to: Lost' O Fallon Girl, Isis 78-73, Irishblue 69, sweet-tang-honney and Neverest.

Some of you asked me about my plans for the story. Well, you see I nearly abandoned it, that's why you had to wait so much for this chapter. I'm so sorry! Now I'm not sure what to do. Originally I wanted to write all 7 books. Now I'll definitely finish the first and then I'll see.

Well, I'll hope you'll like this chapter. And I'm really really sorry!

* * *

Trapdoors and singing

The last thing Severus wanted was the exam-time. However usually the Ministry of Magic with that stupid Fudge didn't ask Severus when he wanted exam time. So in the next few days he spent all his days teaching and between lessons giving last minute advice o his fifth and seventh year Slytherins. He knew exactly which of them would be able to pass the OWLs and NEWTs, but he tried to encourage all of them but worried students were getting on his nerves after a while. Couldn't they see that exams should be the least of their worries? Of course the couldn't. They didn't know that Voldemort was walking among them.

In the nights he sat next to the door leading to the third floor corridor in Dumbledore's invisibility cloak. Quirrell… no, Voldemort… turned up every other night and tried to get the stone. He couldn't succeed. Snape however already figured the only possible way to get the stone and was worried that Voldemort would too. He couldn't get the stone from the mirror, however if he took a student with him... All he would have to do is torture the student and ask for the stone. Soon the student's greatest wish would be to have the stone. However it seemed that Voldemort had no idea how to approach the mirror.

* * *

Hermione had no problem with her exams. Secretly she was even disappointed by the fact how easy they were though she didn't intend to tell that to Harry or Ron. They'd definitely think that she'd gone crazy.

She wasn't worried about her exam results yet she couldn't shake off the feeling that something was wrong. Harry seemed to be really scared about Voldemort returning and Hermione could tell that nightmares didn't let her friend sleep. But finally after their last exam even Harry seemed to relax as he cheered with the others. Hermione didn't join in the cheering. She wasn't sure if she felt happy about the end of school year. Of course she couldn't wait to see her family yet she wished she could stay in Hogwarts for the summer.

"That was far easier than I thought it would be," said Hermione as they left Professor Binn's classroom. "I needn't have learned about the 1637 Werewolf Code of Conduct or the uprising of Elfric the Eager…"

"Hermione, come on. I'm getting sick." said Ron.

"What?"

"I can't listen to that crap any more. It's over and we have a whole weak till we get the results. Just relax!"

Hermione was about to argue back when Harry pointed at the lake. "Look!"

The Weasley twins and Lee Jordan were tickling the tentacles of a giant squid, which was basking in the warm shallows. Hermione was about to ask what's the big deal when she realized that Harry just wanted to stop them before they started arguing. She decided to let it go.

"No more studying," Ron sighed happily, stretching out on the grass. "You could look more cheerful, Harry, we've got a week before we find out how badly we've done, there's no need to worry yet."

Harry was rubbing his forehead. "I wish I knew what this means! My scar keeps hurting… it's happened before, but never as often as this."

"Go to Madam Pomfrey," Hermione suggested halfheartedly, knowing that the school nurse probably couldn't do anything more than give Harry a pain relief potion.

"I'm not ill," said Harry. "I think it's a warning... it means danger's coming..." "Harry, relax, Hermione's right, the Stone's safe as long as Dumbledore's around. Anyway, we've never had any proof Snape found out how to get past Fluffy. He nearly had his leg ripped off once, he's not going to try it again in a hurry. And Neville will play Quidditch for England before Hagrid lets Dumbledore down." Ron said lazily.

"That's just the exams. I woke up last night and was halfway through my Transfiguration notes before I remembered we'd done that one." said Hermione to calm Harry.

They lay there quietly. Hermione wondered about Snape. Is he really trying to help Voldemort? He thought about his book still hiding in her trunk. She never told about it to either Harry or Ron. She hoped to read it during the summer holiday at home.

Harry suddenly jumped up.

"Where're you going?" said Ron sleepily.

"I've just thought of something," said Harry. He had turned really white."We've got to go and see Hagrid, now."

"Why?" panted Hermione, hurrying to keep up as he started to run to Hagrid's house.

"Don't you think it's a bit odd," said Harry "that what Hagrid wants more than anything else is a dragon, and a stranger turns up who just happens to have an egg in his pocket? How many people wander around with dragon eggs if it's against wizard law? Lucky they found Hagrid, don't you think? Why didn't I see it before?"

"What are you talking about?" said Ron.

Hermione didn't need to ask questions. It was a strange coincidence indeed. It was so strange that she wasn't even sure if it was a coincidence any more.

Hagrid was sitting in an armchair outside his house; his trousers and sleeves were rolled up, and he was shelling peas into a large bowl.

"Hullo," he said, smiling. "Finished yer exams? Got time fer a drink?"

"Yes, please," said Ron, but Harry cut him off.

"No, we're in a hurry. Hagrid, I've got to ask you something. You know that night you won Norbert. What did the stranger you were playing cards with look like?"

"Dunno," said Hagrid casually, "he wouldn' take his cloak off."

Hermione couldn't believe her ears. How could anyone be so reckless?

"It's not that unusual, yeh get a lot o' funny folk in the Hog's Head… that's the pub down in the village. Mighta bin a dragon dealer, mightn' he. I never saw his face, he kept his hood up."

"What did you talk to him about, Hagrid? Did you mention Hogwarts at all?" asked Harry.

"Mighta come up," said Hagrid, frowning as he tried to remember. "Yeah... he asked what I did, an' I told him I was gamekeeper here... He asked a bit about the sorta creatures I took after... so I told him... an' I said what I'd always really wanted was a dragon... an' then... I can' remember too well, 'cause he kept buyin' me drinks... Let's see... yeah, then he said he had the dragon egg an' we could play cards fer it if I wanted... but he had ter be sure I could handle it, he didn' want it ter go ter any old home... So I told him, after Fluffy, a dragon would be easy..."

"And did he… did he seem interested in Fluffy?" Harry asked, but Hermione was sure there was no need for more questions. Hagrid told Fluffy's secret to a stranger. It could have been Snape, it could have been Voldemort himself.

"Well… yeah… how many three-headed dogs d'yeh meet, even around Hogwarts. So I told him, Fluffy's a piece o' cake if yeh know how to calm him down, jus' play him a bit o' music an' he'll go straight off ter sleep…" Hagrid suddenly looked horrified.

"I shouldn'ta told yeh that!" he blurted out. "Forget I said it! Hey… where're yeh goin'?"

Hermione and the boys didn't speak to each other at all until they came to a halt in the entrance hall, which seemed very cold and gloomy after the grounds.

"We've got to go to Dumbledore," said Harry. "Hagrid told that stranger how to get past Fluffy, and it was either Snape or Voldemort under that cloak… it must've been easy, once he'd got Hagrid drunk. I just hope Dumbledore believes us. Firenze might back us up if Bane doesn't stop him. Where's Dumbledore's office?"

Hermione shook her head desperately. She could always answer all the questions yet now when it was so important she had no idea.

"We'll just have to…" Harry began, but a voice suddenly rang across the hall.

"What are you three doing inside." It was Professor McGonagall, carrying a large pile of books.

"We want to see Professor Dumbledore," said Hermione clearly without hesitating. She hoped that the boys would let her speak.

"See Professor Dumbledore." Professor McGonagall repeated, as though this was a very fishy thing to want to do. "Why?"

"It's sort of secret," Harry said, and Hermione wished he would have stayed quiet as Professor McGonagall's nostrils flared.

"Professor Dumbledore left ten minutes ago," she said coldly. "He received an urgent owl from the Ministry of Magic and flew off for London at once."

"He's gone?" said Harry frantically before Hermione could cut in. "Now?"

"Professor Dumbledore is a very great wizard, Potter, he has many demands on his time..."

"But this is important."

"Something you have to say is more important than the Ministry of Magic, Potter?" this conversation was going in a very wrong direction and Hermione had no idea how to make it any better.

"Look," said Harry "Professor… it's about the Sorcerer's tone…"

Hermione gasped. _It's too late now. No use crying over spilt milk._

Whatever Professor McGonagall had expected, it wasn't that. The books she was carrying tumbled out of her arms, but she didn't pick them up.

"How do you know..." she spluttered.

"Professor, I think… I know… that Sn…" Hermione kicked Harry's foot.

"…that someone's going to try and steal the Stone. I've got to talk to Professor Dumbledore."

McGonagall eyed him with a mixture of shock and suspicion.

"Professor Dumbledore will be back tomorrow," she said finally. "I don't know how you found out about the Stone, but rest assured, no one can possibly steal it, it's too well protected."

"But Professor…"

"Potter, I know what I'm talking about," she said shortly. She bent down and gathered up the fallen books. I suggest you all go back outside and enjoy the sunshine."

Harry wanted to argue, but Hermione pulled him away. "You could have backed me up, you know." he said angrily.

Hermione swallowed back her answer knowing that an argument wouldn't help.

"It's tonight," said Harry finally "Snape's going through the trapdoor tonight. He's found out everything he needs, and now he's got Dumbledore out of the way. He sent that note, I bet the Ministry of Magic will get a real shock when Dumbledore turns up."

"But what can we…" Ron started.

Hermione gasped. Harry and Ron wheeled round. Snape was standing there.

"Good afternoon," he said smoothly. They stared at him.

"You shouldn't be inside on a day like this," he said.

"We were…" Harry began but stopped.

"You want to be more careful," said Snape. "Hanging around like this, people will think you're up to something. And Gryffindor really can't afford to lose any more points, can it?" he said sneering at Hermione. They turned to go outside, but Snape called them back.

"Be warned, Potter… any more nighttime wanderings…" his eyes met Hermione's meaningfully and made Hermione wonder if he was talking to Harry "and I will personally make sure you are expelled. Good day to you." He strode off in the direction of the staffroom.

"Right, here's what we've got to do," Harry whispered urgently. "One of us has got to keep an eye on Snape… wait outside the staff room and follow him if he leaves it. Hermione, you'd better do that."

"Why me?" asked Hermione trying not to sound scared.

"It's obvious," said Ron. "You can pretend to be waiting for Professor Flitwick, you know." He put on a high voice, Oh Professor Flitwick, I'm so worried, I think I got question fourteen b wrong..."

"Oh, shut up," said Hermione, and sighed. "Ok, I'll do it." she said and walked towards the staff room door.

* * *

"Miss Granger, what are you doing here?"

"I'd just like to talk to… to Professor Flitwick."

Even without legilimency he could tell that she was lying but he didn't care. He stepped back to the staff room "Filius, Miss Granger would like to talk to you."

"Oh, I've just started to grade the first year's exams. Please tell her to come in."

Miss Granger entered while Severus turned away and hurried to the third floor corridor. In a secret passageway he put on Dumbledore's invisibility cloak. When arriving to the forbidden corridor he sat down next to the entrance. He'd been doing this for too long without any sleep. He was so exhausted._ I can't sleep._ The cold stone floor felt so comfortable. _I really shouldn't…_ Everything was nice and calm _I can't…_ He slowly slid to the floor. _I… _It was quiet. It was peaceful and he had no idea that his left foot wasn't covered by the cloak any longer.

It could have been minutes or hours later when he woke up to a flash of light. His exhausted reflexes weren't up to their usual standards. The jinx hit him on his back as he tried to turn away but wasn't fast enough. He felt the sudden sharp pain of the knife course and a deep wound opened on his back. He tried to ignore the pain and pulled out his wand. He faced Quirrell. His eyes were cruel and bright red, the same color as the jinx that hit Snape the next moment.

* * *

The portrait of the Fat Lady swung open as she said the password and Hermione walked in to the common room. She was surprised to find Harry and Ron there. She was quite sure that they would be on there way trying to find the Ministry of Magic or at least in the Owlery writing a letter to Dumbledore.

"I'm sorry, Harry!" she wailed. "Snape came out and asked me what I was doing, so I said I was waiting for Flitwick, and Snape went to get him, and I've only just got away, I don't know where Snape went."

"Well, that's it then, isn't it?" Harry said.

Hermione stared at him. She was sure that she won't like whatever he was about to say.

"I'm going out of here tonight and I'm going to try and get to the Stone first."

"You're mad!" said Ron.

"You can't!" said Hermione. "After what McGonagall and Snape have said. You'll be expelled!"

"SO WHAT?" Harry shouted. "Don't you understand. If Snape gets hold of the Stone, Voldemort's coming back! Haven't you heard what it was like when he was trying to take over? There won't be any Hogwarts to get expelled from! He'll flatten it, or turn it into a school for the Dark Arts! Losing points doesn't matter anymore, can't you see? D'you think, he'll leave you and your families alone if Gryffindor wins the house cup? If I get caught before I can get to the Stone, well, I'll have to go back to the Dursleys and wait for Voldemort to find me there, it's only dying a bit later than I would have, because I'm never going over to the Dark Side! I'm going through that trapdoor tonight and nothing you two say is going to stop me! Voldemort killed my parents, remember."

Hermione forgot to breath. He was right and she knew it. Suddenly all she wanted was to be home. She wanted the school year to be over. She wanted to tell her dad everything and ask for advice. She wanted to be a small child whose biggest problem is her tests an studies. And she knew that she couldn't do any of that.

"You're right Harry," said Hermione in a small voice.

"I'll use the invisibility cloak," said Harry. "It's just lucky I got it back."

"But will it cover all three of us?" said Ron.

"All… all three of us?"

"Oh, come off it, you don't think we'd let you go alone." said Ron. Hermione looked at him shocked. She didn't expect that. Ron was always the annoying but funny guy in the group. She didn't know that he could actually be serious. She felt like hugging Ron and she wasn't exactly sure why.

"Of course not," she said "How do you think you'd get to the Stone without us. I'd better go and look through my books, there might be something useful..."

"But if we get caught, you two will be expelled, too."

"Not if I can help it," said Hermione grimly. "Flitwick told me in secret that I got a hundred and twelve percent on his exam. They're not throwing me out after that."

* * *

After dinner the three of them sat nervously apart in the common room. Hermione was skimming through all her notes, hoping to come across one of the enchantments they were about to try to break. She felt more nervous than before the exams. This was real. This could go wrong. She wasn't sure if the boys really realized what they were about to do. _We might not live to see sunrise tomorrow and yesterday I had thought that after the History exam I'd be free._ Slowly, the room emptied as people drifted off to bed.

"Better get the cloak," Ron muttered, as Lee Jordan finally left, stretching and yawning. Harry left for the boy's dormitory and came back to the common room in a few seconds with his cloak in his hand.

"We'd better put the cloak on here, and make sure it covers all three of us… if Filch spots one of our feet wandering along on its own…"

"What are you doing?" said a voice from the corner of the room. Neville appeared from behind an armchair, clutching Trevor the toad, who looked as though he'd been making another bid for freedom.

"Nothing, Neville, nothing," said Harry, hurriedly putting the cloak behind his back.

Neville stared at their guilty faces.

"You're going out again," he said.

"No, no, no," said Hermione. "No, we're not. Why don't you go to bed, Neville?" "You can't go out," said Neville, "you'll be caught again. Gryffindor will be in even more trouble."

"You don't understand," said Harry, "this is important."

But Neville was clearly steeling himself to do something desperate.

"I won't let you do it," he said, hurrying to stand in front of the portrait hole. "I'll… I'll fight you!"

"Neville, "Ron exploded, "get away from that hole and don't be an idiot…"

"Don't you call me an idiot!" said Neville. I don't think you should be breaking any more rules! And you were the one who told me to stand up to people!"

"Yes, but not to us," said Ron in exasperation. "Neville, you don't know what you're doing."

"Go on then, try and hit me!" said Neville, raising his fists. "I'm ready!"

"Do something," Harry said turning to Hermione desperately.

Hermione stepped forward.

"Neville," she said her voice slightly shaking, "I'm really, really sorry about this." She raised her wand.

"Petrificus Totalus!" she cried, pointing it at Neville.

Neville's arms snapped to his sides. His legs sprang together. His whole body rigid, he swayed where he stood and then fell flat on his face, stiff as a board.

She never had a chance to try this jinx beforehand. _What if I really hurt him? _Hermione ran to turn Neville over. Neville's jaws were jammed together so he couldn't speak. Only his eyes were moving, looking at them in horror.

"What've you done to him?" Harry whispered.

"It's the full Body-Bind," said Hermione miserably. "Oh, Neville, I'm so sorry."

"We had to, Neville, no time to explain," said Harry.

"You'll understand later, Neville," said Ron as they stepped over him and pulled on the invisibility cloak.

But leaving Neville lying motionless on the floor didn't feel like a very good omen. In their nervous state, every statue's shadow looked like Filch, every distant breath of wind sounded like Peeves swooping down on them. At the foot of the first set of stairs, they spotted skulking near the top.

"Oh, let's kick her, just this once," Ron whispered but Hermione give him a glare that she learnt from Professor McGonagall and they continued quietly. As they climbed carefully around her, Mrs. Norris turned her lamp like eyes on them, but didn't do anything.

They didn't meet anyone else until they reached the staircase up to the third floor. Peeves was bobbing halfway up, loosening the carpet so that people would trip.

"Who's there." he said suddenly as they climbed toward him. He narrowed his wicked black eyes. "Know you're there, even if I can't see you. Are you ghoulie or ghostie or wee student beastie." He rose up in the air and floated there, squinting at them.

"Should call Filch, I should, if something's a-creeping around unseen."

"Peeves," Harry suddenly said, in a hoarse whisper, "the Bloody Baron has his own reasons for being invisible." Peeves almost fell out of the air in shock. He caught himself in time and hovered about a foot off the stairs.

"So sorry, your bloodiness, Mr. Baron, Sir," he said greasily. "My mistake, my mistake… I didn't see you… of course I didn't, you're invisible… forgive old Peevsie his little joke, sir."

"I have business here, Peeves," croaked Harry. "Stay away from this place tonight."

"I will, sir, I most certainly will," said Peeves, rising up in the air again. "Hope your business goes well, Baron, I'll not bother you." And he scooted off "Brilliant, Harry!" whispered Ron and Hermione couldn't help but smile.

A few seconds later, they were there, outside the third-floor corridor, and the door was already ajar.

"Well, there you are," Harry said quietly, "Snape's already got past Fluffy. If you want to go back, I won't blame you," he added "You can take the cloak, I won't need it now."

"Don't be stupid," said Ron.

"We're coming," said Hermione. _I don't think it could be any other way. Maybe some time in the distant future we could split up. But not now. Not until we have a common enemy to fight. _

Harry pushed the door open. As the door creaked, low, rumbling growls met their ears. All three of the dog's noses sniffed madly in their direction, even though it couldn't see them.

"What's that at its feet?" Hermione whispered.

"Looks like a harp," said Ron.

"Snape must have left it there."

"It must wake up the moment you stop playing," said Harry. "Well, here goes..."

He pulled out a flute and started to blow it. Hermione wondered where he'd got it from.

From the first note the beast's eyes began to droop. Slowly, the dog's growls ceased… it tottered on its paws and fell to its knees, then it slumped to the ground, fast asleep.

"FLUMP" came from deep down as Harry must have landed on something soft to Hermione's relief.

"It's okay!" they heard Harry's voice from surprisingly down below "it's a soft landing, you can jump!" Ron followed right away and Hermione waited till she heard another muffled thump. Then slowly still playing she sat down at the edge of the trapdoor. She was scared of heights and the idea of falling through darkness wasn't exactly her idea of fun. On the other hand she made up her mind when Harry gave her a chance to turn back. Maybe even earlier. _Yeah, it was never a question since Halloween that we'd keep together whatever happens. _

"Come on, Hermione!"

She took a deep breath and jumped. There was a loud bark from Fluffy, and Hermione could feel strong claws tearing into her left shoulder. She landed next to Harry quickly pulling her robes tight around her shoulders so that the boys couldn't see her injury.

"We must be miles under the school , she said as casually as she could._ What was that? Something moved. Snakes!_

"Lucky this plant thing's here, really," said Ron right at that moment.

"Lucky!" shrieked Hermione. "Look at you both!" She leapt up and struggled toward a damp wall. She had to struggle because the moment she had landed, the plant had started to twist snakelike tendrils around her ankles. As for Harry and Ron, their legs had already been bound tightly in long creepers without their noticing.

Hermione had managed to free herself before the plant got a firm grip on her. Now she watched in horror as the two boys fought to pull the plant off them, but the more they strained against it, the tighter and faster the plant wound around them. _Merlin, what is this? I've read about it. Devil's Snare!_

"Stop moving!" Hermione ordered them. "I know what this is… it's Devil's Snare!"

"Oh, I'm so glad we know what it's called, that's a great help," snarled Ron, leaning back, trying to stop the plant from curling around his neck.

"Shut up, I'm trying to remember how to kill it!" said Hermione panicking as the boys kept struggling.

"Well, hurry up, I can't breathe!" Harry gasped, wrestling with the plant as it curled around his chest.

"Devil's Snare, Devil's Snare... what did Professor Sprout say… it likes the dark and the damp…"

"So light a fire!" Harry choked.

"Yes… of course… but there's no wood!" Hermione cried, her panic attack finally overtaking her brain.

"HAVE YOU GONE MAD?" Ron bellowed. "ARE YOU A WITCH OR NOT?"

"Oh, right!" said Hermione, and she whipped out her wand, waved it, and muttered "Incendio".

In a minute the boys were free.

"Lucky you pay attention in Herbology, Hermione," said Harry as he joined her by the wall, wiping sweat off his face.

"Yeah," said Ron, "and lucky Harry doesn't lose his head in a crisis… 'there's no wood,' honestly."

Hermione wanted to snap back at him but she didn't have time.

"This way," said Harry, pointing down a stone passageway, which was the only way forward.

All they could hear apart from their footsteps was the gentle drip of water trickling down the walls.

"Can you hear something?" Ron whispered.

They listened. A soft rustling and clinking seemed to be coming from up ahead.

"Do you think it's a ghost?" asked Harry

"I don't know... sounds like wings to me."

"There's light ahead… I can see something moving."

They reached the end of the passageway and saw before them a brilliantly lit chamber, its ceiling arching high above them. It was full of small, jewel-bright birds, fluttering and tumbling all around the room. On the opposite side of the chamber was a heavy wooden door.

"Do you think they'll attack us if we cross the room?" said Ron.

"Probably," said Harry. "They don't look very vicious, but I suppose if they all swooped down at once... well, there's no other choice... I'll run."

He sprinted across the room but nothing happened. Hermione and Ron followed him. The door was locked and Hermione was disappointed to find that her alahamora spell wasn't any use this time.

"Now what?" said Ron.

"These birds... they can't be here just for decoration," said Hermione.

"They're not birds!" Harry said suddenly. "They're keys! Winged keys… look carefully. So that must mean... yes… look! Broomsticks! We've got to catch the key to the door!"

"But there are hundreds of them!" said Hermione looking at the brooms without much hope.

Ron examined the lock on the door.

"We're looking for a big, old-fashioned one… probably silver, like the handle." They each seized a broomstick and kicked off into the air, soaring into the midst of the cloud of keys. Hermione felt a sudden respect for Harry thinking about how he could catch the Snitch. She didn't have any success with the keys.

After about a minute Harry suddenly yelled "That one!"

"That big one… there… no, there… with bright blue wings… the feathers are all crumpled on one side." Hermione spotted it too but lost it from sight as Ron went speeding in the direction that Harry was pointing, crashed into the ceiling, and nearly fell off his broom.

"Are you ok?" Hermione asked as Ron seemed to gain control again.

"Yeah" said Ron, with very red face.

"We've got to close in on it!" Harry called, not taking his eyes off the key with the damaged wing. "Ron, you come at it from above… Hermione, stay below and stop it from going down and I'll try and catch it. Right, NOW!"

Hermione rocketed upward nearly crashing into Ron and the key dodged them both, but Harry streaked after it; it sped toward the wall, Harry leaned forward and with a nasty, crunching noise, pinned it against the stone with one hand.

Hermione and Ron were both cheering. Hermione felt so relieved to step on the ground again that for a moment she absolutely forgot why they had been trying to catch the key.

Harry ran to the door trying to force the winged key in the lock. It worked! The moment the lock had clicked open, the key took flight again.

"Ready?" Harry asked and they nodded. He pulled the door open.

The next chamber was so dark they couldn't see anything at all. But as they stepped into it, light suddenly flooded the room to reveal an astonishing sight.

They were standing on the edge of a huge chessboard, behind the black chessmen, which were all taller than they were and carved from what looked like black stone. Facing them, way across the chamber, were the white pieces. Hermione shivered… the towering white chessmen had no faces.

"Now what do we do?" Harry whispered.

"It's obvious, isn't it?" said Ron. "We've got to play our way across the room." Behind the white pieces they could see another door.

* * *

Hermione was shaking so bad that she found it difficult to stand in one place, but of course she didn't dare to move unless Ron instructed her to do so. She wished she had played more wizarding chess so that she could help. The white queen scared her to death. She didn't have a face and she was merciless.

"We're nearly there," Ron muttered suddenly. "Let me think… let me think..." The white queen turned her blank face toward him.

"Yes..." said Ron softly, "It's the only way... I've got to be taken."

"NO" Hermione shouted.

"That's chess!" snapped Ron. "You've got to make some sacrifices! I take one step forward and she'll take me… that leaves you free to checkmate the king, Harry!"

"But…" Harry started.

"Do you want to stop Snape or not?"

"Ron…" Hermione couldn't accept it. _There must be another solution._

"Look, if you don't hurry up, he'll already have the Stone!"

She was quiet. What could she have said?

"Ready?" Ron called, his face pale but determined. "Here I go… now, don't hang around once you've won."

He stepped forward, and the white queen pounced. She struck Ron hard across the head with her stone arm, and he crashed to the floor. Hermione screamed but stayed on her square as the white queen dragged Ron to one side. _He must be knocked out or…_ Hermione didn't dare to think about the other option.

Harry moved three spaces to the left. The white king took off his crown and threw it at Harry's feet. They had won. The chessmen parted and bowed, leaving the door ahead clear. With one last desperate look back at Ron, Hermione run through the door following Harry.

"What if he's..." she couldn't help saying it.

"He'll be all right," said Harry but he didn't seem to be too sure either.

"What do you reckon is next?"

"We've had Sprout's, that was the Devil's Snare; Flitwick must've put charms on the keys; McGonagall transfigured the chessmen to make them alive; that leaves Quirrell's spell, and Snape's." said Hermione grateful to have something that keeps her mind away from Ron.

They reached another door.

"All right." Harry whispered.

"Go on." she whispered back and Harry pushed the door open.

A disgusting smell filled their nostrils, making both of them pull their robes up over their noses. Eyes watering, they saw, flat on the floor in front of them, a troll even larger than the one they had tackled, out cold with a bloody lump on its head.

"I'm glad we didn't have to fight that one," Harry whispered as they stepped carefully over one of its massive legs. "Come on, I can't breathe."

He pulled open the next door. Hermione looked around but there was nothing very frightening in here, just a table with seven differently shaped bottles standing on it in a line.

"Snape's," said Harry. "What do we have to do?" They stepped over the threshold, and immediately a fire sprang up behind them in the doorway. It wasn't ordinary fire either; it was purple. At the same instant, black flames shot up in the doorway leading onward. They were trapped.

"Look!" Hermione spotted a roll of paper lying next to the bottles. She started to read it:

_Danger lies before__ you, while safety lies behind,_

_Two of us will help __you, which ever you would find,_

_One among us__ seven will let you move ahead,_

_Another will tran__sport the drinker back instead,_

_Two among our number hold only nettle win__e,_

_Three of us are killers, waiting bidden in line._

_Choose, unless you wish to stay here forevermore,_

_To help you in your choice, we give you these clues four:_

_First, however__ slyly the poison tries to hide_

_You will always find some on nettle wine's left s__ide;_

_Second, different are those who stand at either end,_

_But if you would move __onward, neither is your friend;_

_Third, as you see c__learly, all are different size,_

_Neither dwarf nor gian__t holds death in their insides;_

_Fourth, the second left and the second on the right_

_Are twins once you taste them, though different at first sight._

Hermione let out a great sigh and for the first time since they entered the forbidden corridor she smiled.

"Brilliant," she said "This isn't magic… it's logic… a puzzle. A lot of the greatest wizards haven't got an ounce of logic, they'd be stuck in here forever."

"But so will we, won't we?" asked Harry and Hermione's smile grew even wider as she looked at his shocked expression.

"Of course not," said Hermione. "Everything we need is here on this paper. Seven bottles: three are poison; two are wine; one will get us safely through the black fire, and one will get us back through the purple."

"But how do we know which to drink?"

"Give me a minute." she read the paper several times. She felt as if she was back in her math class from muggle school trying to solve a complicated word problem. Well, except for the fact that in her muggle school a wrong answer didn't result in getting poisoned. At last, she had the answer.

"Got it," she said. "The smallest bottle will get us through the black fire… toward the Stone."

They looked at the tiny bottle.

"There's only enough there for one of us." said Harry. "That's hardly one swallow."

They looked at each other.

"Which one will get you back through the purple flames?" he asked and Hermione pointed at a rounded bottle at the right end of the line.

"You drink that," said Harry but she shook her head "No, listen, get back and get Ron. Grab brooms from the flying-key room, they'll get you out of the trapdoor and past Fluffy… go straight to the Owlery and send Hedwig to Dumbledore, we need him. I might be able to hold Snape off for a while, but I'm no match for him, really."

"But Harry… what if You-Know-Who's with him?" she muttered.

"Well… I was lucky once, wasn't I?" he said, pointing at his scar. "I might get lucky again."

Hermione suddenly hugged Harry. She didn't want to leave him, but there was no choice.

"Hermione!" Harry said shocked.

"Harry… you're a great wizard, you know."

"I'm not as good as you," said Harry as she let go of him.

"Me!" said Hermione. "Books! And cleverness! There are more important things… friendship and bravery and… oh Harry… be careful!" she was close to breaking down right there. As long as there was something to fight against she was ok. But going back alone? That was like being defeated. What if Ron was...? she took some big breaths to calm herself.

"You drink first." said Harry. "You are sure which is which, aren't you?"

"Positive," said Hermione. She took a long drink from the round bottle at the end, and shuddered.

"It's not poison?" said Harry anxiously.

"No… but it's like ice."

"Quick, go, before it wears off."

"Good luck… take care." she wanted to say so much more but "GO!" Harry yelled and Hermione turned away.

* * *

"Professor, professor Snape!" said an uncertain voice and he saw something red. He blinked. No, there were two red things. He blinked again. Slowly the scene in front of him came into focus as he blinked a few more times. The Weasley twins were in front of him. One of them had Snape's wand pointed right at his heart.

"Mr Weasley, give me my wand at once. Attacking a teacher? It's outrageous. You'll follow me to my office right now. Don't be mistaken Professor Dumbledore will hear about this." Snape said in a dangerously low tone.

"Professor, I know it's hard to believe considering our history, but it wasn't us. We just saw you…"

"… he means we ran into you literally on our way back to our common room. We didn't mean to run into you…"

"… but you were… er… quite invisible." said the red-heads and one of them held up Dumbledore's cloak.

Snape got up ignoring the pain from the wound on his back and grabbed the cloak and his wand.

"Sir, can we help?"

"No, get out of the way." he said turning away. _I need to inform Dumbledore quickly, but I can't waste time._

"Mr Weasley," he said turning back " go to Dumbledore's office and tell him that I need help with Fluffy."

"With Fluffy?"

"Now, Weasley! I don't have time for this."

"But profess…"

That moment Snape did the only thing that he could think of to make the boys deliver the message quickly.

"Ten points to Gryffindor, if Dumbledore gets the message in five minutes." he sighed.

One of the twins gaped him while the other started running towards Dumbledore's office. "Hurry, Fred! This is a once in a lifetime opportunity." Snape heard as he entered Fluffy's corridor.

He was supposed to sing. Dumbledore had told him, that was the only way. He shut his eyes fighting back memories. He had a good singing-voice… or he used to have one anyway. He has never sung since fifth year in Hogwarts. Not since Lily wasn't there to sing with him. Fluffy approached him growling crazily.

"When I find myself in times of trouble, mother Mary comes to me,

speaking words of wisdom, let it be.

And in my hour of darkness she is standing right in front of me,

speaking words of wisdom, let it be."

"_Sev, what are you doing here?"_

"Let it be, let it be, let it be, let it be.

Whisper words of wisdom, let it be."

"_Just thinking."_

"And when the broken hearted people living in the world agree,

there will be an answer, let it be.

For though they may be parted there is still a chance that they will see,

there will be an answer. let it be."

"_You were singing my favorite song."_

"Let it be, let it be, ..."

"_I was thinking of you."_

"And when the night is cloudy,

there is still a light, that shines on me,

shine until tomorrow, let it be."

"_Could you sing it again?"_

"I wake up to the sound of music,

mother Mary comes to me,

speaking words of wisdom, let it be."

"_I'm not really good."_

Let it be, let it be, ..

"_You are! I've heard it. Please, please. I'll sing with you."_

Lily's voice still rang in his ears while he jumped through the trapdoor.

* * *

Sorry for the delay again. And please leave a review to encourage me to go on.


End file.
